FSSD

Not sure where to put this thread but I thought that it is interesting to see PSU looking at a major upgrade. Sounds like 2014 at the earliest. This will definitely help the program and bring more depth to Big Sky in basketball. http://www.oregonliv...ls_plans_f.html

Aren't corruption investigations on going.... nice run the last several years for the MSP City Council. In July 2001, Brian Herron (DFL) pleaded guilty to one count of felony extortion. He admitted to accepting a $10,000 bribe from a business owner who faced numerous health and safety inspections violations. Herron served a one year sentence in federal prison. On November 21, 2002 10 year Council Member Joe Biernat (DFL) was convicted of five federal felony charges, one count of embezzlement, three counts of mail fraud, and one count of making a false statement. Biernat was found not guilty on extortion and conspiracy to extort charges. In September 2005 Green Party Council Member Dean Zimmermann was served with a federal search warrant to his home by the Federal Bureau of Investigation. The affidavit attached to the warrant revealed that the FBI has Zimmermann on video and audiotape accepting bribes for a zoning change. Zimmermann subsequently lost his re-election campaign, and was convicted in federal court on three counts of accepting cash from a developer and found not guilty of soliciting property from people with business with the city. Zimmermann was released from prison in July 2008. In 2009, council president Barbara Johnson was accused of misusing campaign funds for personal spending. An administrative hearing was held January 26, 2010, which could have charged her with a civil violation or recommend criminal charges. The administrative judges at the hearing dismissed 6 of the 8 charges against her, and upheld 2 (AAA services were paid for both her & her husband's vehicle, and not all charges for hairstyling & dry cleaning were reasonably related to the campaign). She paid a $200 fine for these violations.

I believe the battle for the nickname is being driven by the Spirit Lake Tribe. Please contact frankbc@spiritlakenation.com and thank you for your interest in UND sports.

I have not seen much said about Denver or Seattle for membership into the Big Sky - they could give the basketball side of the Big Sky a major bump. Plus they fit the foot print and could be the site for a conference tournament. Not sure if the Big Sky is interested.. plus UND could build on the Denver rivalry.

It looks like IPFW does not want to be left out on the Horizon discussion IPFW sits squarely in the middle of the Horizon League and could conceivably team with Oakland and IUPUI into making the Horizon a 12-team league. Without trips to North Dakota, North Dakota State, South Dakota and the newest member, Nebraska Omaha, the travel savings alone would make the jump from the Summit into the Horizon a sound one. http://www.journalgazette.net/article/20120510/SPORTS0305/305109987/1085/SPORTS03

Interesting read about the Summit and Oakland.. IUPUI and Robert Morris, in addition to Oakland, are potential candidates to take Butler’s spot during the 2013-14 season, when the two-time national runner-up starts playing in the Atlantic 10. http://www.freep.com/article/20120509/SPORTS08/120509048/oakland-university-horizon-league-detroit-udm-summit?odyssey=mod%7Cnewswell%7Ctext%7CFRONTPAGE%7Cs

I feel your pain.. I have to look at the TIF for MOA and see if they got another 20 year exemption... Bloomington pays for MOA and the rest of the state gets the benefits.

I am not saying that I like it - not a big fan of the current "Sports Economics" system. Owners and players are some of the biggest welfare recipients in the state.

Target Center is just "hospitality funded".

Exactly... both venues will be very nice.

You are correct, anything could happen. But, when you have the last name of Taylor (Glen and $130 million upgrade) and Dayton (Governor) in Minnesota you tend to get what you want. I suspect the vote could be greater in favor as council member line up at the trough. They won't get it until next session but it will be delivered - as they say in football recruiting - where do you want the double wide delivered and what color is the TransAm. Sorry, I just watched the SMU story on ESPN the other night.

I would be surprised if the City Council did not approve this deal.. the Target Center got a difference source for funding. It is no longer on the backs of MSP property owners and it is going to be shifted toward an existing MSP Hospitality sales tax. This sales tax was authorized by the State for the City of MSP to use for the Metrodome and Civic Center and is set to expire 2020 (I think? - plus I am sure that it has been extented indefinitely). The State controlled how this sale tax was used. The State is now giving the City of MSP control over this sales tax. This is a big deal for the City of MSP.

Yes, I think the updates are approximately 130 million - here is a site that talks about the changes. Not sure of the timeline - I am sure MSP wants to get this going immediately. http://www.targetcenterrenovation.org/gallery.php

Don't see it..

A Bison fan and Dave K are both asking for sources? has the world eneded.

Because, it is a state law that is applied toward one school UND. I just don't see it being applied to NDSU.

However, the State Law applies to only one school UND.

I don't see the State of North Dakota and the NCAA extending the sanctions to other schools in the state. If they did - just wow. I think the reason that Mississippi and South Carolina got in trouble was because of the State Flag.

Because the last time they mobilized they looked like idiots - remember Spirit Lake referendum

Not living in North Dakota, but I would vote Yes - it sucks but it is time.

Yes I agree, however I thought a more formal approach to exit polling would be interesting to the state because it feels like this referendum is about more than just the name.

Does the State have a plan in place for exit polling as part of the referendum? I think that it would be very interesting to see why people voted the way they did.

Think about the money that has been spent on arenas/stadiums: Stadiums: 1) Metrodome paid 2) TCF for U of M - over $300 million (2009) 3) Twins Stadium - over $400 million (2007) 4) Vikings Stadium - over $950 million (?) Arenas: 1) Target Center - pending approval of $150 million update - original cost ($100 million in 1990). 2) Xcel - $130 million (2000) A $1.2 billion dollar multi use stadium for Twins/Vikings/Gophers sounds like a dream to me or a $200 million dollar multi use Wolves/Wild arena

Just to clarify.. I was talking about the Anoka deal which was approved by the state when the Twins deal went through. Anoka and the Vikings had a deal, but the Vikings changed the deal by taking away the roof to reduce costs. Anoka said that the terms of the deal included a roof. The Vikings walked away from the deal. Behind the scenes it was rumored that MSP political leaders would be interested in helping Vikings in the near future with the old Metrodome tax. The next deal that the Vikings had was with Arden Hills and Ramsey County - but that had no shot. You are asking St. Paul to pay for something NOT IN St. Paul. Plus, the Stadium was not going to get MSP support without MSP getting something (dumping the Target Center on the State or the State paying for major renovations) in the deal at the State level. I laughed at people who thought that had a chance. IMO - the only reason the Ramsey County deal got that far was: 1) Ziggy loved the cheap land around it to develop.. 2) Opat (HC), Rybak (MSP) and Dayton (MN) disagreed on the MSP stadium location. Opat wanted farmer market area and Rybak/Dayton wanted old the Metrodome site to keep costs down. Rybak/Dayton moved forward and Opat said no thanks and pulled HC support. NOTE: It was stated last week that Opat has been working with multiple politic leaders discussing a new Farmers market plan. But, he would not move the plan forward until next year because he did not want to step on Rybak/Dayton political toes. Opat Plan: 1) Site Farmer Market 2) HC would kick in toward the stadium by increasing the existing Twins Stadium tax rate. 3) MSP still provides the old Metrodome tax in the future NOTE: The State legislature has said it will not extend this tax unless it is tied to a Vikings stadium. 4) State’s role in significantly reduced thus making it easier to pass. But, Ziggy is killing the Opat plan because he wants a decision this year and considers no action this year as a statement of no support. I think Ziggy has a buyer lined up and he is getting political cover for when he sells the team if the stadium does not go through this year. NOTE: I am not a big Opat fan because I don't trust a word the man says but he knows how to get things done. Unfortunately at my expense as a resident of HC.

Isn't ZW more at fault - he had a deal with Anoka County and he walked away because he thought that he could get a better deal. The current deal for the Vikings is fine but the funding approaches are questionable. $427 million from the team - fine $150 million from Minneapolis sales taxes - I assume that this is the original Metrodome tax that was repurposed to the convention center which will now go to Vikings stadium. $400 million, from new taxes projected to roll in by allowing bars and restaurants that offer gambling to upgrade to electronic versions of some games - I am with Zellers - I don't see how electronic gambling is going to bring in this much revenue.