Vetch Stadium demolition begins

Dave Cobern, demolition Director of group Cuddy explains the work.The demolition phase got underway main on vetch-Swansea city's historic football ground.

The club moved to the new Liberty Stadium six years ago.

Work to clear Swansea Council-owned Web site has been made possible with the ￡ 700,000 regeneration grants from Assembly Government.

The local authority still struggling to find a developer to the Web site, which has been earmarked for housing.

Demolition of the stands, terraces and floodlights are likely to take between four and six months.

A planning application to landscape the site has been submitted and if approved, should be complete at the end of the summer.

The Council intends to landscape the area until a developer can be found.

But there have been calls for it to be used for assignments in the meantime.

Vetch was local football home from the time it opened in 1912 until its final game in 2005, when fans took pieces of binder turf or snatched seats as keepsakes.

But as landmark is torn down, it is clear the Club's old home still hold happy memories for many people linked to its history.

Peter place, historian and lifelong Swansea fan said: "it was a remarkable land, an eccentric soil and a chaotic land.

"Vetch was fantastic, we loved it.

Some of the seats were ripped from fans eager to Grab souvenirer on the game's final 2005

"Now here is the final demolition after 100 years of vetch is at the heart of Swansea soul".

Alan Curtis is now coach at Swansea, but played in the team's famous 5: 1 victory over Leeds in 1981.

He said: "it in a way always seemed to generate a fantastic atmosphere.

"I always seemed to spend more time than at home."

Professor Huw Bowen, enthusiast and author of a history of the club said the demolition was "a poignant, sad and moving experience".

' It was a dump but it was our dump, ' he says of the Earth.

Swansea supporter Marilyn Croft said driving past the site demolition had brought a touch of sadness.

"I know it's time to come down and there must be something else built there, but vetch will always be our spiritual home."

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TED Mondale: Now or never for the Vikings Stadium

The task with a new Minnesota Vikings Stadium entirely before him, was Ted Mondale named Friday by Gov. Mark Dayton leading Metropolitan Sports facilities Commission.

Mondale said, the controversial project can be an "impossible task", but "I think if it is feasible, this is what we are doing this year."

In an interview Thursday was Dayton even more about your project direct, opinion polls have shown most Minnesotans will not be using taxpayer money to build. "I want to say, it has to be done this year. This [legislative] session, "he said.

The appointment is seen as a strong signal in Dayton, the State must find a way to build a new stadium with the Vikings, if the lease on stunted Metrodome ends this year.

When selecting Mondale, selected a former Dayton Metropolitan Council Chair, during the Gov. Jesse Ventura helped build the State's first light-rail line.

Mondale, 53, son of former US Vice President Walter Mondale, also brings the connections that might help: he is a boyhood friend of Roger Goodell, National Football League Commissioner, and has served on board the Vikings advisors, a group of Community leaders, including former Vikings coach bud Grant and chief executive officer Best Buy. Mondale said Friday he would resign from the Board to avoid a conflict of interest.

"[He is] a person who can bring together people regional," House Minority Leader Paul Thissen, D-Minneapolis, said Mondale. "If a solution will come out to build a stadium, it will be an important piece."

But the House Majority Leader Matt Dean, R-Dellwood, said a Vikings Stadium debate would have to wait until lawmakers treated the State projected $ 6.2 billion budget deficit. "We have a large budget hill to climb," said Dean. "This is what we need to focus on."

Mondale be confronted with more immediate challenges, including the easing tensions between the sport facilities, the Commission and the Vikings over the team's lease on the Metrodome, which expires after this year. The team and the Commission, which owns the Metrodome, has publicly feuded over Vikings insistence that the team will renew its lease by indoor stadium, where it has played since 1982.

Mondale will also have to navigate through a legislature which, for the first time in more than a generation is controlled by Republicans.

Lester Bagley, Vikings Vice President of Stadium development and public affairs, called Mondales appointment "an excellent choice."

Mondale said he had a "very long" conversation with Dayton Tuesday, which repeats the Governor that while he wanted team to get a new stadium, he would not "cross its values in order to get it done."

Mondale said Dayton gave no directions at a specific site on the Stadium should be roofed, or type of public subsidies available. "The public advantage needs to be above ... the public dollars," said Mondale, who said the Governor referred to as "the people's stadium project."

Dean, said in the meantime he was lukewarm to generate revenue for the Stadion through a racino-slot machines installed by the State's horse racing track. He acknowledged that he had voted for racinos in the past, but said he was "not necessarily" pleasant to use it to fund a stadium.

Rachel e. Stassen-Berger contributed to this article. Mike Kaszuba ‧ 651-222-1673

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Twisted pair Stadium trail

How we got to this point in the Stadium Marathon:

Sept. 27, 2007 – Ticat President Scott Mitchell calls for a new stadium, rather than a revised Ivor Wynne, says it could help position Hamilton as a sport Center for Eastern Canada.

Feb 23, 2009 — the City Council agrees to join the 2015 bid with a stadium by the West harbour athletics and Hamilton Tiger Cats as older tenants. Mayor Fred Eisenberger touts region as Prime Minister for transformational city building.

Nov. 6, 2009 – Hamilton's Pan Am Stadium is part of the Toronto 2015 winning bids for games. ' When the new Stadium is built, which will be a major step in the right direction for the city and the Tiger-Cats, "said businessman David Braley, a great supporter of the offer.

Jan 13, 2010 – Bob Young says of the Ticats on board for any site, the city chose. "We want to make it work, regardless of the site," he said, adding, "there will be a week or so, so everyone will controversy move on."

Feb 18 – Hamilton City Council approves West harbour location for Pan Am athletics stadium, but include the ability for a Plan B location, if the West harbour fails. Tiger-Cats, the elder partner say their business partners, lukewarm to the West harbour. "It presents some legitimate challenges for the private sector," says Mitchell.

March 19 – The Tiger-Cats say their corporate partners is a concern, West harbour because of problems with availability, parking and visibility. They promise a report review the Web site. "It is not to say there is no business case out there, would work, it is simply not there now," notes Mitchell.

May 6 – Ticat owner Bob Young writes an open letter to fans say football club will not play in a West harbour Stadium because does not work from an economic point of view. He calls for a 90-day moratorium on planning. He added, "each Tiger-Cats fan love Ivor Wynne, but it is simply no longer a viable Stadium for generating the resources required to run a competitive CFL team."

May 11 – young people call for a facilitation process to look at other Stadium cites. City agrees. Young says, "Failure is not an option".

May 18 – Veteran official Michael Fenn is named retailer. "He is extremely knowledgeable, cool and pensive. The whole course of his career has been in situations, where he had juggle egos, "says businessman Ron Foxcroft.

July 6 – Fenns report identifies an Eastern Mountain site favoured by Tiger-Cats. The city agrees to examine it. Young offers $ 15 million for the development of the Stadium precinct. ' It is time to move forward, "says young. $ 15 Million "changes in the conversation," says Eisenberger.

28 July – Athletics Canada confirms it has prompted Toronto 2015 to remove track and field, the Pan Am's premier event, from Hamilton attributed to Stadium battles and the need to centralise facilities. CEO Joanne Mortimer adds that "different messaging" from a variety of sources listed Ticats were not keen to separate its fans from play with a track.

Aug. 6 – federal and provincial governments say they drag financing from a West harbour Stadium. MPP Sophia Aggelonitis says, the province was forced to, when the feds move first. "We do not take a decision, but at the end of the day, the province did not have money to finance a whole Stadium," said Aggelonitis. "We cannot go it alone".

Aug. 8 – Deputy Minister of Sport, Gary Lunn says Ottawa does not make funding dependent Stadium site.

Aug. 9 – young says Ticats walking away from the negotiations on the East Mountain, pasting, differences over naming rights. "We want to play out our days at Ivor Wynne" while looking for a new home place, he says.

Aug. 10 – City Council approves the West harbour in a 12-3 vote. Eisenberger call vote "bittersweet", adds, "I do not think it is a victory, until we have a stadium, where we can get Tiger-Cats play."

Aug. 31 – City Council approves staff examine a McMaster Innovation Park website. ' It is a matter of weeks to create the kind of older Bob Young and I have talked about, ' says Eisenberger.

Sept. 14 – City Council directs staff to study CP Rail lands near innovation park as a possible Web site, when CP asks if the city is interested in its 53-acre site. CP plots could be in the neighbourhood of $ 100 million, a number, a "shocking" says Eisenberger.

October 8 – young promises $ 10 million over 10 years Stadium construction and agrees to run on the stadium in 20 years for a $ 300,000 annual fee from the city. He wants naming rights to cover operating costs.

Dec 20 – it is sticker shock on the CP land with a $ 70-$ 90-million to price code for land and business relocation. New Mayor Bob Bratina said the city should consider Confederation Park, which the Council removed from consideration in January 2009.

Dec 22 – a special Pan Am meeting, CP for rich and bite not by Bratinas bids for Confederation Park. But he held out hope. "Something is still a glimmering. There is still a pulse. "

Dec 27 – in the Ticats and Paletta International approach Burlington mayor Rick Goldring on a stadium in Aldershot. ' It is a large site, "says Mitchell. "It is on (motorways) 403 and 407, and at a go train station. It has a lot of opportunities ".

Jan 11 – Bratina and young cut a preliminary deal to keep the cats in Hamilton and in their original Home – Ivor Wynne Stadium. Young people called the site "sacred ground", which could encourage a rebirth civic pride through redevelopment.

jkernaghan@thespec.com

905-526-3211

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Minnesota Vikings will pay for a part of new outdoor Stadium

Mall of America field at Hubert h. Humphrey Metrodome
Tom Dahlin/Getty Images

Minnesota Vikings is the market for a new sports stadium. If a building can be constructed without a roof, says the team, it will pay for a third of the total cost.

It sounds like a nice proposition in a situation where a roughly $ 700 million expense is involved. But it is the best solution?

For Vikings fans is the primary goal to keep their team in Minnesota. If an outdoor Stadium showed the task, few would argue with the return to the team's glory years option — outside, like old Metropolitan Stadium.

On the other hand, if so much money will be used on a new stadium, why not just a few finishing touches? Most legislators want the building must be available for a multitude of uses, 365 days a year. If you add a tag will get a Bill through the legislature, how about making it retractable so that all win?

Vikings head coach Leslie Frazier expressed favor (I guess, there is a conflict of interest in the Organization) that ye shall keep a lid on the team facility — of course, quote the "bottling" crowd noise as a great advantage on the Vikings home games.

But in an outdoor design such as the Seattle Seahawks have created as one of, if not the noisy Stadium in National Football League, it stands to reason the Vikings could conjure up a similar situation.

Crumbling Hubert h. Humphrey Metrodome Vikings lease expires at the end of the coming season, 2011, so that a decision must be made as soon as possible. Otherwise, the looming threat of relocating the team to another city like Los Angeles, seems a viable — albeit uncomfortable — option for your organization.

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Minnesota Wild and Gophers should pay for the Roof on new Vikings Stadium

Hannah Foslien/Getty Images

There was a time when the Astrodome in Houston was seen in the same light as Cowboys Stadium seen today.

A modern marvel endorsement a trend, as other cities followed.

Domes, was once, preferred form of architecture for outdoor sports stadiums.

One of the cities, after that the trend was Minneapolis, Minnesota Vikings and twins began play in the Metrodome in the beginning of the 1980s.

If domed Stadium trend file manager already dead before this year's winter storm, Deflated with the now maligned Metrodome roof.

Now, with the tag on the Metrodome ripped by snow and the Vikings lease on stadium set to expire after next season, they threaten to move away from Minnesota, if they are not given the Stadium they want at the price they want.

Vikes have said that they would pay a third of the costs to build new stadium. They also said they prefer to have an outdoor Stadium because it would cost them too much money to build a stadium with a tag.

Legislators in the State of Minnesota, said, however, they want to have a roof in the Stadium it no matter what the cost.

"If you will put this very capital, this much sweat and tears in it, you will need a 365-day facility like the Metrodome," said State Sen. Julie Rosen, R-Fairmont, for the Associated Press.

That makes sense. With the newly built Target field and the TCF Bank Stadium will be outdoor facilities, need Minnesota a multipurpose, indoor stadium to host events such as the final four.

But the Vikings have leverage, as Los Angeles has plans to build a new stadium. In contrast to Minnesota is the weather in L.A. is usually sunny and hot, to eliminate the need for a roof over the Vikings head.

Plus, given what they've just been through with their current kuppelformede Stadium, could you blame them wants to take their games outdoors?

So what can be done to make Vikings and State law happy and keep Vikes in Minnesota? I have a suggestion, there is a little out of the box but potentially could work.

Instead of Vikings pays for one-third of the cost of a roof of the stadium, the NHL's Minnesota Wild and the University of Minnesota Athletics should pitch in some money for a retractable roof.

Why should they pay for a tag on the Vikings new stadium, you ask? As a result of a two-word phrase that has become a new trend in recent years: outdoor hockey.

In the last four years has been NHL Winter Classic a new year's Day tradition, pulling in millions of viewers on NBC and tens of thousands of fans in a indvandringssituationer Stadium.

This year's Winter Classic, played at Heinz field in Pittsburgh between Washington Capitals and Pittsburgh Penguins drew the capacity crowd 68,111 and 4.65 million viewers on NBC. This is despite the game delayed for approximately seven hours due to rain.

Outdoor hockey is a trend that has not been limited to NHL. In December host Michigan Stadium in Ann Arbor a Winter Classic between Michigan and Michigan State's hockey, a game that broke the record for most fans witnessing a live hockey game with a presence of 113,411.

Imagine what kind of crowds and viewers wild and Minnesota hockey team could attract by playing on the open roofed new Vikings Stadium. It would provide the potential for publicity that does more than the cost for a third of a retractable roof.

Plus is things about a retractable roof that you can close it, something the Vikings can consider if they decide to minus 10 degrees temperatures are too much to bear.

And I am sure, Minnesota Golden Gophers basketball team would remember hosting the final four, or at least Big Ten tournament.

This article can also be seen in the Drew Rosten Sports thread at http://drewrosten.blogspot.com/. Also check out the Sports line for my two cents on the Cleveland Browns ' new head coach.

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Vikings Stadium questions get a player in the Ted Mondale

In a sign depressed Friday Minnesota Gov. Mark Dayton plans to step into politically charged fight over a new Vikings Stadium, he is a veteran political hand with deep experience in regional policy to head the Metropolitan Sports facilities Commission.

TED Mondale, former state senator and 1998 DFL candidate for Governor, who later headed the Metropolitan Council, was picked as President of the Agency, which shall supervise the Metrodome and acts as the Vikings lessor. He will also serve as Daytons lead navigator in trying to land the Vikings a new home.

"My main focus is to represent the Governor on the potential for getting this done," said Mondale.

Having run a was Vance campaign and spearheaded the construction of the then-controversial Hiawatha light-rail line, the son of former Vice President Walter Mondale is something about the political landscape and assemble complex and controversial quotes.

"I cannot think of a person better treat a deflated Dome, Vikings, a Republican legislator and a Democratic Governor than Ted Mondale problems. He is the perfect guy to take on a rod, "says Chuck Repke, who served as Mondales political Director during his run 1998.

Mondale had also been a Vikings Adviser, a predominantly ceremonial position on a Board, included Sue Haigh, Daytons choice to run the Council met. The team was effusive about Daytons pick.

"He is an excellent choice leads Commission sport"

Vikings vice President Lester Bagley said. "We trust in him. We have worked with him. We respect his track record of success, both in the public and the private sector. "

This year marks the Metrodome 30th anniversary. The Vikings are looking for new homes, argues that the lack of revenue that is generated by the comparison with other NFL venues Dome leaves the team at a disadvantage. NFL revenue sharing agreement has helped the team maintain his salary, but that agreement could be replaced by a new labor deal for next season.

Dayton has established several criteria for use of public money on a new facility, including to oppose the use of General Fund revenues. Proposals have included among the taxes and surcharges on everything from tickets for parking for concessions.

State Sen. Julie Rosen, R-Fairmont, expects to introduce a Bill next month, that appears to meet the Governor guidelines. But Rosen has been reluctant to world champion the issue as a legislator focuses on reviving the Minnesota economy and closes a $ 6.2 billion deficit.

Although some members of both parties hope on a draft law — especially with Stadium the team's lease expires after the 2011 season — have remained more circumspect than Governor. Dayton has publicly invited the team to produce the details of its proposal, including a location, and whether to include a tag so that it could be assessed by the legislature.

Bagley said Friday the team continues to work on these details. "We hope to move the discussion forward beginning sometime in the next 30 days," he said.

Sports facilities, the Commission is expected to play a central role in the negotiations over a new stadium. But with six members shall be appointed by a Minneapolis City Council, if the team pursues a site outside of Minneapolis, the Commission's role in the Stadium debate would be diminished.

The location of a new stadium is important, because the team may be a local Government to assume a part of the costs incurred by Hennepin County taxpayers did when the target field was built for twins.

Mondales experience in the private sector — he recently sold the software company he founded Nazca solutions — should help as well as: Corporate sponsorships and naming rights is key to any Stadium construction quotes.

In the meantime, proposes the Anschutz Entertainment Group, to build a downtown Los Angeles Stadium aims to bring pro football back to one of the largest U.S. markets. This week reports that measuring spot EGGS was close to securing much naming rights with State Farm Insurance that would provide roughly $ 20 million in annual revenue.

To put that in perspective, it is as much as half the annual debt service on a new stadium, which is estimated to cost between $ 700 million to $ 900 million. So far there has been any Minnesota groups as partners in a potential Stadium deal.

A second group pursues a L.A. Stadium deal also give Vikings potential suitors, if the team decides to search elsewhere. But so far the Vikings officials remained committed to Minnesota. And AEG President and CEO Tim Leiweke recently said his group did not seriously pursue the team.

Mondale succeed Roy Terwilliger, a designated by former Gov. Tim Pawlenty, and seems to have a mandate to build a Stadium deal.

"His extraordinary dedication to public service, his business experience and his established relationships with key decision makers will make it possible for him to represent the best interests of the people in Minnesota in the attempt to negotiate a new ' people's stadium, '" Dayton said in a statement.

Several factors make him a natural choice.

Mondale attended elementary school with NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell, when living in Washington, D.C., with his father. He also has strong ties to Daytons staff — Dayton Chief Tina Smith was Mondale's 1998 campaign manager and his top employee on the Metropolitan Council.

He also earned raves from the business community, as solid support Stadium efforts. Minnesota Business Partnership Executive Director Charlie Weaver said he has known Mondale, as they served in the legislature on opposite sides of the political aisle and praised him as a person who could work with both parties.

"It tells me that the Governor's seriously. He takes the issue of a facility seriously, because he hired a guy who gets things done and know the landscape, "said Weaver.

Pawlenty manages virtually any leadership role on Vikings Stadium issue, but Dayton seems prepared to accommodate it, despite the political risks. Opinion polls show the public opposed using taxpayer dollars to help build a stadium.

One of Mondales first tasks will be to monitor the rehabilitation of the Metrodome. Roof collapsed under the heavy snow, December and five Teflon roof panels either ripped open or removed for security reasons.

Tag currently undergoing testing. Bill Lester, Executive Director of the Metropolitan Sports facilities Commission said that the Agency to learn more about the extent of the problem at the end of the month, when it should have a better idea when Dome can reopen.

Already more than 300 amateur baseball games, and more events have been canceled, and the Vikings have expressed reservations about playing there this year. One of the teams have had to seek alternative execution venues is Macalester College, where Mondales son is a pitcher.

"I can't imagine any scenario where the Tag is not ready for season 2011" Lester said.

Associated Press contributed to this report. Jason Hoppin can be reached at 651-228-5445.

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