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Rybak Presents 3 Plans For Vikings Stadium In Mpls

MINNEAPOLIS (WCCO) – In an effort to keep the Minnesota Vikings in Minneapolis, Mayor R.T. Rybak and Minneapolis City Council President Barbara Johnson released three plans for a "people's stadium" on Thursday.

The sites include along Linden Avenue, and the Minneapolis Farmers Market, which are both near Interstate 394 and Interstate 94, and Downtown East, which is around the current Metrodome site.

During the entire stadium proposal process, Vikings officials have stressed that they are only focused on their potential site at Arden Hills. Rybak and Johnson said each of their three plans secures three state-wide facilities in a stadium, the Target Center and the Minneapolis Convention Center at a cost that is equal to or less than the proposed Arden Hills site.

The plans were submitted to Gov. Mark Dayton and legislative leaders on Thursday.

Each plan calls and provides for a renovation of the Target Center at a cost of about $150 million, $50 million of which would come from private donations.

Rybak and Johnson presented two options to finance each potential stadium site. One plan calls for a .35 percent city-wide sales tax and a one percent lodging tax. The second plan involves taking revenue from a proposed casino on Block E in downtown Minneapolis, with five percent of its revenue from now through 2020 going towards the stadium. After 2020, three percent of revenue would go to the stadium along with a $20 million licensing fee.

The Vikings issued a statement following the proposals on Thursday, staying strong with their stance on Arden Hills.

"We respect Mayor Rybak and the City of Minneapolis for trying to find a stadium solution.  However, the Minnesota Vikings have a local partner – Ramsey County – with whom we have negotiated for several months.  Arden Hills is the ideal stadium site for the State, the Vikings and our fans," the statement reads.

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