Stadium LRT Station, Ped Bridge & Plaza (MSFA block)

[Archiapolis]

Damn. I had planned to email my Met Council members in opposition again. Not that it would have made a difference.

Wow. This is disgusting.

I think I've come around to the position that appointed Met Council members are a mistake. What a waste of money and "design" energy for a stupid idea that solves no problems. This is a complete embarrassment.

[mattaudio]

Is there a vote count on this? I really hope urban council members like Cunningham, Commers, and Letofsky voted against this bridge to nowhere. Since, you know, their districts could use that money for things like bus signage and shelters.

Speaking of the public getting hosed in Downtown East and this block specifically... I saw on Twitter yesterday that the Vikings are going to get half the revenue from advertising ON the LRT platform, projected to be up to $200,000 per year. Anyone know more details about that? Giving away $200,000 a year in existing advertising revenue to the Vikings?

[Anondson]

If the funding is final, is the design final too?

[Rich]

I saw on Twitter yesterday that the Vikings are going to get half the revenue from advertising ON the LRT platform, projected to be up to $200,000 per year. Anyone know more details about that? Giving away $200,000 a year in existing advertising revenue to the Vikings?

The Vikings will get an estimated $200k in ad money, but they’re paying $300k a year to the Met Council in promotional support. So the Met Council nets $100k annually. Over a few decades that’ll pay for most, if not all, of their share of bridge constuction costs.

http://www.startribune.com/met-council- ... 312664191/

[mattaudio]

That's better than what I expected, but wouldn't the Vikings likely give Metro Transit (who brings a significant share of their patrons to their new stadium) provide them with promotional support anyways? And isn't there an opportunity cost to providing discounted (in essence) promotional support to the Vikings, since they are then giving up potentially higher-paying promotional support from other advertisers? The deal is not rotten like I suspected, but it's still sour.

[Mikey]

Do the Vikings get to rename the station? The Twins got Target Field Station (the original one) in return for promoting transit and whatnot (maybe some money too, I don't remember) Anything like that happening with the Vikings?

[nBode]

Yes; part of the deal will rename the station to "US Bank Stadium Station" or something similar.

[MNdible]

"Downtown East / USbank Stadium Station" really rolls off the tongue, no?

[kiliff75]

So TCF Bank Stadium Station will be three stops from US Bank Stadium Station on the green line?

[PigsEye]

"Downtown East / USbank Stadium Station" really rolls off the tongue, no?

"Next station, US Bank Station, For your convenience ATM's are located on both ends of the platform"

[HiawathaGuy]

"Downtown East / USbank Stadium Station" really rolls off the tongue, no?

I only support keeping Downtown East if they add Downtown West to Target Field Station. Otherwise it really makes no sense to keep it anymore. That's always annoyed me.

[twincitizen]

But for the naming rights situation, I'd prefer something a little more along the lines of Stadium/HCMC or Stadium/Hospital. Sadly it is probably just going to be "US Bank Stadium Station", which is already too long and clunky. There's not even room for "Chicago Avenue" in there...maybe Metro Transit will finally see some wisdom in leaving off the redundant "Station" part...

But I agree with HiawathaGuy, and I'll go even further - "Downtown East" as a term should pretty much fade away from usage. It was really only useful to describe the sea of asphalt between the CBD and the Dome. Now that it's rapidly filling in and just becoming more "downtown", I could see the term fading away. I don't think "Downtown East" was ever used much by the general public anyways, aside from the LRT station itself.

Look at the official boundaries of "Downtown East", keeping in mind that HCMC and everything south of 6th Street is actually in Elliot Park.
Now remove the whole "Mill District" sub-area (everything north of Washington). Now remove the several blocks occupied by the stadium itself, including parking ramp & plaza(s). What's left is just a few blocks between. "Downtown East" doesn't really exist, now that the Wells Fargo development and Commons Park (both literally split in half by the boundary of DTW/DTE) have filled in so much. This is reflected in the proposed change by the official Downtown Mpls Neighborhood Association (DMNA) too. They want to split into two groups "Downtown" and "Mill District": http://www.journalmpls.com/news-feed/do ... lit-in-two

[Didier]

In theory, the Commons should be another considerable attraction at that LRT stop.

that said, I recall reading somewhere that the stadium would indeed change its name to match the stadium, a la Target Field Station.

[mattaudio]

The old one was Downtown East - Metrodome. Wouldn't this be Downtown East - US Bank Stadium?

[HiawathaGuy]

The old one was Downtown East - Metrodome. Wouldn't this be Downtown East - US Bank Stadium?

That's fine. But then I think they should add Downtown West - Target Field.
There's no reason to have it say Downtown East when there's not something to bookend that station.
It seems somewhat irrelevant, in that what does "Downtown East" really tell someone who is unfamiliar with downtown Minneapolis?

[mplser]

it wouldn't make sense to rename a station to downtown west because there are 3 or 4 stations in downtown west, while there is only one station in downtown east....

[mattaudio]

It seems somewhat irrelevant, in that what does "Downtown East" really tell someone who is unfamiliar with downtown Minneapolis?

It tells them that it's the LRT station that serves the Downtown East neighborhood?
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Downtown_ ... inneapolis

The neighborhood is served by Downtown East/Metrodome station of the METRO light rail system.

[Nathan]

To an extent I understand what you're saying... but there is no actually downtown west neighborhood. There is north loop, central and downtown east on the line, then elliot park and Loring Park. The target field station would have to be labeled north loop, not downtown west.

[mattaudio]

Technically there is a Downtown West neighborhood:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Downtown_ ... inneapolis

Government Center and Nicollet Mall Stations are in Downtown West
Warehouse District/Hennepin Ave and Target Field Stations are in North Loop, technically.

[HiawathaGuy]

Oh my! LOL
I'm just venting actually. I will still ride the train downtown, even if it does stay "Downtown East - US Bank Stadium".
I always took Downtown East to mean a geographic area, not necessarily meaning the neighborhood. I'm not sure that it's helpful going forward - especially now that there is so much more that defines the area as opposed to just being Downtown East.
Just my two cents.