The Hubert H. Humphrey Metrodome was once a first class facility that actually hosted a Super Bowl.  Today it is a run down stadium that desperately needs to be replaced.  The Metrodome opened in 1982 replacing the Vikings' former home Metropolitan Stadium. 

Vikings fans have always been rather loyal, supporting their team despite going 0-4 in their Super Bowl appearances.  The Metrodome has been outdated for quite sometime now, in 2010 the inflatable roof collapsed due to a snowstorm that dumped 20 inches of snow in the Midwest.  Fortunately no one was in the stadium at the time, and therefore no injuries or fatalities occurred.  One could only imagine what would have happened had a game been on going at the time of the roof collapsing.

The Vikings have threatened to leave Minneapolis if they do not get a new stadium in the near future.  This move would certainly devastate Vikings fans as football is quite important in the twin cities area.  The only thing that stands between the Vikings and their proposed brand new $975 million dollar stadium is one state Senate vote.  The House passed the vote for the new stadium earlier today by a 71-60 vote.  The proposal has the Vikings contributing $477 million dollars for the new facility, which will be built where the Metrodome currently stands.

Under the bill, the state of Minnesota would pay $348 million dollars and the city of Minneapolis would pay $150 million dollars on an existing hospitality tax.  This is something that needs to be done for the Vikings, and their fans.  Within the past decade numerous state of the art stadiums have been built in the NFL.  The Vikings need a brand new retractable dome roof stadium.  It is ridiculous that they play in such an outdated facility with a roof that collapsed because of heavy snow fall.  Have they ever heard of a steel roof, not an inflatable one?

There are billions of dollars made in the NFL every year.  The Vikings deserve a first class facility to play their home games in, not a dump.  The team has endless support from the community, now it comes down to the politicians to get this done.  I wish Vikings fans the best of luck, sometimes politicians are as dependable as the weather.

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