[Mpls] Sid and stadia

[Craig Miller]

Second, I would ask if the people polled knew the state income tax paid by 
the Twins and visiting players, combined with the additional sales tax 
earned, could run up to an estimated $11 million a year in a new stadium. 
The sales tax from building materials also would provide a lot of money to 
the state.

Third, I would have asked if the people polled understood the number of jobs 
a stadium costing $478 million would provide.

Fourth, I would ask if there should be a referendum on the stadium, when 
there wasn't one when the Minneapolis City Council spent $4.7 million moving 
the Shubert Theater and gave $35 million to the Guthrie Theater and other 
government-sponsored projects.

Then I would ask if the people polled had any idea of the extent of the 
crime problems downtown and what 81 home games would do to improve that 
situation. Those games would attract more business downtown.

And last but not least, I would have made sure I polled some of the nursing 
homes and some shut-ins and get their reaction on how different their lives 
would be if they didn't have 162 Twins games to listen to on radio and watch 
on television.

Incidentally, the callers on WCCO Radio on Sunday morning voted 14-2 in 
favor of a stadium, although some also wanted a roof on it."

Steve Brandt
Star Tribune/Kingfield




Craig Here;

    Steve asks great questions.  He should ask them of the mayor or get 
Rochelle Olson to ask them.  Get STRAIT answers.  If the mayor doesn't want 
to give strait answers, don't print them.  I find it truly tragic that in 
under 4 years the seduction of RT has been completed.  The innocent man 
standing on the podium or the street saying  " I was born in a great 
city....I want to die in a great city" has gone completely political animal. 
Lets weigh the facts.

1. New Stadium in your downtown in a an area that everyone seems to think is 
a great place for it.
2. Tons of Union Jobs to build the project.
3. Stadium provides linkage of the new transit lines. North Star Which will 
help North Mpls.
4.  Economic boom around stadium will be real. Which will help out North 
Mpls.
5. Old stadium will stay for a while.  No black hole at that location.  When 
it sells, big development area ready for mayor.
6. Direct subsidy by the city of Mpls is nil.  Thus not violating the city 
ordinance passed shortly before RT was elected.
7. Rich suburbanite people who buy all the drugs and provide all the johns 
to the sex and drug trade will pick up almost 70-80
    percent of the public cost of this stadium.
8.  For RT this is a win win win situation.  Yet he hangs way back and says 
little if anything.  Good work Doug Growe.

Lets analyze the politics here
1. RT afraid of upsetting the DFL delegates.
2. McLaughlin must vote for this or against this before the DFL convention. 
No one accused Peter of being an innocent.  He's been a politician for a 
long time.  If Peter votes for the stadium plan, he is saying  " I'll do 
what's right for all the citizens of
     Mpls.  Translation he is willing to look out for the city while he has 
or doesn't have the DFL endorsement. Or if it costs him that endorsement.
3. RT on the other hand, who did not get DFL endorsement, who challenged a 
DFL incumbent, will run without DFL endorsement is willing to hide while the 
greatest single public building on his watch is being debated.  Because he 
wants that DFL endorsement.  Thus RT is willing to push the best interest of 
Mpls to the side while he tries desperately to be the Mayor of the DFL 
delegates gathering two weeks hence.  Can you believe it?  This is the same 
guy who wanted to live and die in a great city.  Great reputations are 
forged in crisis. This stadium item is in the balance.  Where is the Mayor?

Craig Miller
Former Fultonite and Camdenite
Past supporter of RT Rybak
Living in Rogers Minnesota
craigmo at comcast.net