Xcel Energy Center

[uptownbro]

Target field is being paid off 10+ years early. So yes they are paying for it(till 2026-2027) but MN has actually done a good job of managing any debts regarding them. US bank has been paid off for the state 20+ years early. Its common to have some level of public support. The issue is if it comes at the cost of long term financial health of the city/county/state or there ability to fund other services.
The logic that you dont "use" it is bad faith. The same can be said for any public transit investment or even any investment. I dont use the bus or a pay there for why should i pay for it.

[bubzki2]

I just wish publicly-funded stadiums didn't feel free to gouge to the max on concessions prices. Either gouge and cover your own financing, or don't gouge and get handouts from the public.

[thespeedmccool]

So how does our region compare with how much the average taxpayer is paying for them? I know every single person in Hennepin County is paying for the Twins Stadium every time they buy anything other than food or clothing even if they don't like baseball and never even go downtown, but how does that compare to other metro areas?

They might not go to baseball games, but they benefit from the stadium.

[Mdcastle]

How does someone in Medina that never goes downtown and never watches baseball benefit from the stadium?

[NickP]

Being part of a cosmopolitan metro area.

[LakeCharles]

How does someone in Medina that never goes downtown and never watches baseball benefit from the stadium?

I mean I assume the reason anyone lives in Medina instead of, say, Walnut Grove is because they derive some value from being in a metro area. It might not be directly by being a Twins fan, but they enjoy having large corporations and all the jobs that come with them, being part of a massive library system, having good schools, etc. Having the Twins around helps keep companies, helps keep young people invested in the community, and all sorts of ancillary benefits.

That's all super squishy and vague, I know, but being involved in a community never has straight lines from cause to effect.

[uptownbro]

How do I as a south Minneapolis resident benefit from highway 55 going past 169 as I never drive it. Should I not pay to have it ever repaired or improved. Why stop there. Why not route 12 as well.

[BigIdeasGuy]

Being part of a larger real estate development is certainly a larger trend for many newer sports facilities but I don't think it's super likely case for either the X or Target Center. Starting with the X all indications are that the Wild are looking a renovation of the current building and not new building in a new location. So unless they do something great with the parking lot directly to north there aren't many options.

As for the Target Center I think the most likely outcome is a tear down and construction of a new arena in the same location, off the top of my head I can't think of a better location that's available in DT. A tear down would require the Wolves spending a year, probably 2, playing at the X while that isn't an ideal solution for DT MPLS that is a much better solution than the Wolves leaving permanently.

A new arena could include the city giving up 2nd Street or extending out over 394 as well to increase the footprint of the site. Completely integrating the skyway connecting the A & B ramps is possible if not likely and almost certainly interacts and connects better interaction Target Field and the plaza over 394 with the rest of DT, along with other wins for the city.

I'm just freestyling this but I'm guessing the most likely way this whole thing plays out is that the Wild/STP go to state asking for a significant renovation & investment for the X, meaning a 9 figure deal including private local and state dollars. They end up getting it in the next few years with less rancor than one would guess. After which the Wolves start rumbling for a new building in a real manner. MPLS & team point to the deal the X just got and after a prolonged saga they finally get a deal done that includes money local, state & private dollar but the private dollars are much bigger percentage of the total cost on what ends up as a 10 figure deal.

The other sports facility item to keep an eye locally on is the future of Williams Arena which is way off topic here.

[Bob Stinson's Ghost]

I think what really irritates people about public funding for stadiums is that the sports teams are regular for-profit businesses. And the owners behave like petulant children when they demand subsidies, usually for more luxury boxes. Some of the people posting in this thread are attempting to draw comparisons to things like schools, libraries, and transit, but this is not a valid comparison because these things are owned by the public.

I mean, if we're going to subsidize the Wild, why not subsidize First Avenue? It provides a public good and is part of Minneapolis' identity. There are dozens of other for-profit businesses which meet those criteria, but get no public subsidy. Only sports teams enjoy this privileged status.

[thespeedmccool]

Only sports teams enjoy this privileged status.

I don't think that's true though. We subsidize lots of private development with TIF, tax breaks and financing for housing developments and corporate HQs, and other public monies for for-profit ventures.

We do that because we recognize that there are significant positive externalities that can be brought by for-profit development. Stadiums are no different.

[MNdible]

Places like the Guthrie, the Walker, and the Minnesota Orchestra all received significant state funding, if I recall correctly.

[Didier]

I have a memory of Sid Hartman forever railing on the Shubert Theater getting public funding to move up Hennepin Avenue as reason why the state needed to step up and build a new Twins stadium.

[BigIdeasGuy]

I don't have a subscription but the MSPBJ is reporting the renovation could cost $300 million

[StandishGuy]

Hmmm.. I'm torn over the public having to put so much money into stadiums. On one hand I have Timberwolves season tickets, enjoy a Twins game every once in awhile and have seen the Vikings play at U.S. Bank. On the other hand Glen Taylor sold the Timberwolves franchise for $1.5 billion. He could have funded Target Center renovations on his own and still ended up with more than $1 billion in profit. Gross.

[HuskyGrad]

Hmmm.. I'm torn over the public having to put so much money into stadiums. On one hand I have Timberwolves season tickets, enjoy a Twins game every once in awhile and have seen the Vikings play at U.S. Bank. On the other hand Glen Taylor sold the Timberwolves franchise for $1.5 billion. He could have funded Target Center renovations on his own and still ended up with more than $1 billion in profit. Gross.

Maybe the solution is to tax the proceeds from the sales of sports teams.