Skip to Content

Tony Spadafora

Eden Prairie, MN
Commenter for
4 years 4 weeks

Recent Comments

Posted on 05/23/11 at 11:21 am in response to Marriage amendment is legislative session's legacy, despite all the rhetoric about the budget and spending

Recent polls (I don't know if they are national polls or not.) are now favoring gay marriage for the first time.

There's a very good chance Minnesota's will support gay marriage in November 2012.

Posted on 05/20/11 at 08:02 pm in response to Bill would use racino revenue for two stadiums (Vikings and Saints)

Why won't Governor Dayton agree to the use of the Vikings and visiting players' income tax withholding to fund most of the state's stadium contribution?

Nothing can be more "but for" revenues considering the NFL pays our players with national revenues (TV and licensed merchandise). $175 million of the Vikings total revenues came from the NFL last year. Our player salaries totaled $150 million... The NFL pays our players and $13 million worth of income tax withholding are generated...

Posted on 05/20/11 at 08:05 pm in response to Bill would use racino revenue for two stadiums (Vikings and Saints)

Where's my proof reader?

Posted on 05/20/11 at 11:39 am in response to Kicking around another Vikings stadium twist: Could a new stadium lure Major League Soccer?

Does the MLS require real grass as a playing surface? If it does or if Zygi want his MLS team playing on real grass, build a stadium like the AZ Cardinals with a playing surface the moves in and out of the stadium for use inside only when needed. Could have an artificial field moving in and out the other side of the stadium for all the amateur sporting events that will be held there. Building yet another stadium for MLB is preposterous!

Posted on 05/19/11 at 02:52 pm in response to How to solve the Vikings stadium issue: a timeout and a public huddle

Jay, God himself could chair that site selection committee and the site chosen would be meaningless if Zygi doesn't like it or the deal being offered by the community where that site is.

Like with the Twins stadium bill, there is one and only one all important linch pin needed to make the Ramsey County or the Minneapolis plans workable. That is the referendum" waiver for the local taxed needed to fund the stadium.

I don't see legislators passing any stadium bill with a...

Posted on 05/21/11 at 06:06 am in response to How to solve the Vikings stadium issue: a timeout and a public huddle

MOA casino... maybe. MOA Vikings stadium... no way.

Posted on 05/19/11 at 05:13 pm in response to Vikes' Ramsey deal sweeter than Twins' Hennepin one

Governor Dayton's "no general fund" mantra is a very big problem. It's the same problem as the budget problem with the Republicans saying "no new taxes" to both the Vikings stadium and the budget.

There are true "but for" revenues that could be used to fund the state's stadium contribution. No new taxes are needed.

Posted on 05/11/11 at 05:05 pm in response to From experience, I can tell you stadium plans and 'sports deals' aren't always what they seem

An urban football stadium is an oxymoron. Football's ten home games per season, and hopefully a playoff game or two are weekend events sports fans will drive great distances to and tailgate hours before and after the game.

Baseball's 81 home games per season are mostly know games people go to after a long day's work. Fans don't have the time or the space to tailgate in an urban setting. There must be laws against BBQ grills in parking ramps.

Part of what makes the Arden Hills...

Posted on 05/11/11 at 09:04 pm in response to From experience, I can tell you stadium plans and 'sports deals' aren't always what they seem

Mike Naas: I would agree wholeheartedly with you IF there was a federal law banning public subsidies for all pro sports stadiums. Until that happens, our pro sports teams could not compete financially or on the playing field when other teams receive public subsidies.

Read any piece of legislation about pro sports stadiums and you'll see the justification is "public good." The courts ruled the Twins could not walk away from the last year of their extended lease because no amount of...

Posted on 05/12/11 at 01:38 pm in response to First and ten -- or long? -- for the Vikings as Arden Hills becomes team's dream home

The Vikings headquarters stays in Eden Prairie for the time being. If they plan any major renovations the move to Arden Hills may happen, but for the time being, I don't think adding $30 - $40 million to the cost of the project would be a wise thing to do, Representative Knuth and I don't think the state or Ramsey County should pay for a new Vikings headquarters, but your 50% contribution idea may happen in the end.