Great Ideas: Let's Build a Vikings Stadium Next to the Homeless Shelter
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What you see above you is a new(er?) proposed plan for a potential new Minnesota Vikings stadium to be built in Minneapolis, by Target Field, off of Highway 94, on the current Minneapolis Farmer's Market site, which was released thanks to "SaveTheVikings.org." I mean, THEY didn't come up with it or anything, but they shared this neat little photo. Kudos to them.
See that? Yeaaahhh ... Tailgating, RAILgating, tralgaiting? (I don't even know what that is, but I'm sure you guys will eat it up!), tons and tons of ... stalls ... Which I assume are parking garages and not bathroom stalls, but I could also be wrong. There's even a theatre and entertainment district not too far from the site! It'd be so sweet! That area of Minneapolis would become a sports mecca! Vikings, Twins, Timberwolves, YOUR CHAMPIONSHIP WINNING LYNX!! All in one spot, man. Amazing!
Except ... All those homeless people. Eeeeee ...
That spot circled in red RIGHT THERE at the center of the sports mecca is Mary Jo's Place, aka, Sharing and Caring Hands, aka, a pretty significant homeless shelter for the city of Minneapolis that, kind of awesomely, both equally pisses off county and state governments for running her place like a sovereign nation and helps tons of people out by, you know, providing them a place to stay at night when the wind chill gets to -40 degrees. Also, that blue circle? That's the Salvation Army's Harbor Light Center, another homeless shelter in Minneapolis. I don't think they've made nearly as much noise over the course of existence like Mary Jo's has, but they're still ... around. And likely not going anywhere.
Why so many homeless resources right there? Because of the Greyhound Bus Station underneath "4,600 Stalls," likely. It makes sense. People come in to town broke, or lose their home and hit the streets and end up in the city. BOOM. Homeless shelter. I get it. What I don't get is why stadium people seem to think that surrounding these locations with sporting cathedrals to capitalism is such a great idea.
Let's get this out of the way first. I don't give a shit where they build a Vikings stadium because I'm not going to it anyway. When you can hold your balls in sweat pants and watch your team lose in HD (which the Vikings obviously will do), why would you spend something stupid like $200 to go watch the game live? For tailgating? Don't give a shit. Overrated. With that said, I still would prefer we just pay for the damn thing and get it done because it's not like we're stealing that money from schools, morons, it'd be a new tax. Get over it. On top of this, the "stadium debate" and politician talk is about as boring as imagining Julia Stiles having sex. Blech. Contrarily, no stadium debate here, just shirtless dudes. WIN.
So obviously I come from a bit of an ignorant place to debate where a new stadium should be. Arden Hills? Won't go, and will think it's stupid. Downtown? Won't go, but would think it's cool. See what I'm saying here? Downtown is the way to do it. It's modern, hip, makes long-term sense, metropolitan, and isn't built on a radioactive site that turned Bruce Banner in to the Hulk (true story). However, placing a new stadium in and around a homeless shelter that won't move (seriously, Mary Jo's ain't going anywhere ... they already tried that with the Twins stadium and she nixed it. Stubborn lady!) seems like a real dumb idea. Also? A dick move. "Hey homeless people! Look at home much fun we're having paying millionaires millions and watching millionaires spar for our entertainment! How are your Dome Dog crumbs?! HAHAHAHA!" Yikes.
Don't get me wrong. The stadium still needs to be built, the Vikings need to stay here, the uniforms need to be switched to the throwbacks full time, Ponder needs to play shirtless. But ... Come on. Let's not build it here. Do the Metrodome site. It's just, such, an, obvious choice, doods. Not that I care, because I'm not going anyway, I guess.
And seriously ... Kicking homeless people when they're down? That's like being a Lions fan. Not cool.
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ITS TIME TO DO AWAY WITH AFFIRMATIVE ACTION. MANY PEOPLE HAVE BEEN DENIED EDUCATIONS AND JOB.
On the other hand, if the Vikings were moved to the Downtown Stadium proposed for Los Angeles, they would be about a dozen blocks away from Skid Row or as Wikipedia puts it "the largest stable populations of homeless persons in the United States ... estimates have ranged from 3,668 to 5,131" ... So there is that.
Like I've said all along, there are acres upon acres of open land by my house in Apple Valley just waiting to be plundered by Mr. Wilf. Build it here and I might come.
I'll help build bleacher seating and everything. People could park and/or stay at my house on game days for a very marginal few hundred dollars. I have a really big plasma TV.
No Vikings in Los Angeles. Win-win-win.
Truthfully, I could care less where they build it because I live five hours north of Downtown and would rather contract a flesh eating disease on my penis than drive anywhere inside the 494/694 loop. But keeping the stadium away from Mary's Place or Harbor Light for the simple fact that they are homeless shelters makes no sense. Those two blue arrows on the left side of the map? They might as well say "not-quite-homeless-but-still-pretty-fucking-close".
I'd drive down there to show my kids the plight. See kids? Look at all the plight!! **BANG** Roll 'em up!!!! #topthreemoviesofalltime
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I don't really understand your premise... do you think we shouldn't build the stadium there because there are a couple homeless shelters because it's... rude to the homeless. I don't think they give a shit. As long as there is a warm place for them to stay, why should they care if rich idiots pay too much to see a bad football team play in an awesome new stadium.
And honestly, I didn't even know the homeless shelters were there in the first place. I've been to a handful of Twins game and never noticed anything that seemed sketchy (of course, this was during the summer, when there may be many fewer "residents" at the shelters).
Whatever, I'm pretty strongly against using public money unless it pretty much all comes from a tax increase on (a) hotels (let the idiot tourists pay for it) or (b) sports jerseys and other shit that morons buy at the stadium UNLESS the state/city gets a cut of the revenues that come from the stadium (meaning we should get a cut of that sweet, sweet luxury box money). But, there is no way Wilf will give us that, so no public money it is!
@Lakeville Mikey I also don't technically care for the politics surrounding all this crap, but think taxes on hotels, and merchandise (and gambling!) make the most sense.
I suppose the argument was "Just build the thing, but not there, but also since I don't plan on going I don't care." The initial thought was that'd be kind of a dick move to the homeless, but you're probably right. They likely don't give a shit one way or another.
However, I don't believe that any new Vikings stadium or sports mecca in that area would purposefully try to integrate with services like that already there ... I see it as a gentrification move and an ultimate hope that they can move people our of there. That seems like kind of a dick move, particularly for service institutions already in the area.
This blog post isn't very funny. Should I have just made fun of the homeless instead?
@PJD@Lakeville Mikey I know it won't raise enough money to build a new stadium, but why aren't they trying not-so-out-of-the-box things like having Vikings license plates, so people who don't want to contribute can just not buy one? Is there a rule governing where license plate fees goes to? You'd think they could come up with some ways to help offset the public cost, which let's face it, will likely be part of how they pay for the stadium.
I don't think a tax on Vikings merchandise is unreasonable either.
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Hmmm... being that I don't live in Minneapolis I don't really have much of an opinion other then build something so the team doesn't end up in LA. I do like the idea of the sports hospitality entertainment districts. This trailgating idea is also intriguing.
What I can tell you I am not interested in is Julia Stiles... ugh... so unhot. #reverseboner
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@MikeFromWinnipeg It's like a boner that somehow goes INSIDE of you instead of her. Amazing.
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@PJD Exactly... so not turned on that it goes inside me creating like a man-gina.
@MikeFromWinnipeg@PJD@Hammy1724 I'm conflicted about this....don't you need to have a penis to make a mangina?
@PJD@Qommie@MikeFromWinnipeg OK... sitting here going "What the f**k PJD" now you're doing social commentary??" then I get to the comments and all is right with the world... thanks for the chuckle! hahaha
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@MikeFromWinnipeg From social sensitivity to manginas. I was almost worried @PJD was going soft.
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@PJD Ummm clearly... I don't think you can truly consider yourself a man if you haven't gone... "hey, I wonder what this would look like". My wife is also not a fan of that. I think its pretty awesome.
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@MikeFromWinnipeg You ever do the penis between the legs man-gina? My wife hates it. Freaks her out. She won't even look. It must be like saying "moist" or "Cool Whhip" or something.
@pjdiaries people to go when it's -40? Whatever lame suburb you live in? doubt it. Have some compassion & be thankful rather than offensive.
@pjdiaries Wow, grow up! I actually live just a couple blocks from there and don't get bothered at all. Where would you prefer any homeless
@allimac09 Maybe there was a miscommunication. I'd prefer those institutions stay there where people in need know they can find them ...
