Minneapolis City Council OKs Vikings stadium plan Minneapolis City Council OKs Vikings stadium plan ADVERTISING MINNEAPOLIS — The $1 billion public-private plan to build a new stadium for the Minnesota Vikings took one of its final steps toward reality Thursday,
Minneapolis City Council OKs Vikings stadium plan
MINNEAPOLIS — The $1 billion public-private plan to build a new stadium for the Minnesota Vikings took one of its final steps toward reality Thursday, as a slim majority of the Minneapolis City Council voted in favor of a sales tax shift to help pay for it.
A committee comprised of the entire 13-member council voted 7-6 to make the city a partner in helping the Vikings replace the Metrodome, putting up $150 million for construction and another $159 million in later operating costs. One final council vote is scheduled for Friday by the same group and is all but certain to have the same outcome.
With Mayor R.T. Rybak pushing hard for the stadium, opponents on the council appeared resigned to their loss.
But they used the meeting as something of a last stand, blasting the project as corporate welfare disproportionately funded by Minneapolis taxpayers and arguing that residents should have had a voice in a citywide referendum.
“To me this is a very sad day for our city,” said Councilwoman Lisa Goodman, who said the stadium’s costs to her constituents outweigh its benefits. Goodman said she was ashamed that fellow Democrats, led by Gov. Mark Dayton and Rybak, took the lead in getting the deal done.
Rybak and his backers on the council said it was a good deal for city taxpayers and estimated the project would generate 7,500 construction jobs in the city.
The state will pony up $348 million from tax revenue that’s projected to come from an expansion of low-stakes gambling in bars. The Vikings are responsible for $477 million, though much of that is likely to come from stadium-related profits, including naming rights, and a contribution from the NFL.
AP Source: Bobcats to interview Sloan on Friday
CHARLOTTE, N.C. — A person familiar with the situation says the Charlotte Bobcats will interview Hall of Famer Jerry Sloan on Friday for their vacant head coaching position.
The person spoke on the condition of anonymity because the team hasn’t made its list of candidates public.
The 70-year-old Sloan spent 23 seasons with the Utah Jazz before resigning in February 2011. He hasn’t coached since.
Sloan first told SI.com on Thursday that he plans to meet with Bobcats officials.
Sloan becomes the ninth known candidate, joining Patrick Ewing, Nate McMillan, Dave Joerger, Mike Malone, Nate Tibbetts, Mike Dunlap and Stephen Silas. The Bobcats also plan to interview Indiana Pacers assistant Brian Shaw.
The Bobcats finished the season 7-59, the worst record in NBA history.
Heat’s James, Lakers’ Bryant lead All-NBA team
NEW YORK — LeBron James was the leading vote-getter for the All-NBA team, while Kobe Bryant earned his 10th first-team selection, tied for second on the career list.
Bryant, a first-team pick for the seventh straight season, joined Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, Elgin Baylor, Bob Cousy, Michael Jordan, Bob Pettit, and Jerry West with 10 selections to the first team. Karl Malone is the leader with 11.
James, who won his third MVP award, received 118 of a possible 120 first-team votes Thursday from a panel of writers and broadcasters. Joining him on the first team were scoring champion Kevin Durant, Clippers point guard Chris Paul and Magic center Dwight Howard.
Guards Tony Parker and Russell Westbrook were selected the second team along with forwards Kevin Love and Blake Griffin and center Andrew Bynum.
Davydenko beats Isner to reach Open de Nice semis
NICE, France — Nikolay Davydenko beat top-seeded John Isner 6-4, 7-6 (4) Thursday, joining second-seeded Gilles Simon and third-seeded Nicolas Almagro in the Open de Nice semifinals.
Isner finished with 13 aces, but Davydenko saved three break points and broke the big-serving American once in the first set.
Davydenko, once ranked No. 3, next plays the winner of the match between Brian Baker of the U.S. and Mikhail Kukushkin of Kazakhstan.
Simon, who grew up in Nice, did not face a single break point in a 7-5, 6-0 victory over Brazil’s Thomaz Bellucci. He will Almagro for a place in Saturday’s final. The Spaniard beat Belgium’s Steve Darcis 6-4, 6-4.
Italy’s Schiavone reaches Strasbourg semifinal
STRASBOURG, France — Second-seeded Francesca Schiavone of Italy easily defeated Johanna Larsson of Sweden 6-0, 6-3 to reach the Strasbourg International semifinals Thursday, but three-time champion Anabel Medina Garrigues lost.
Schiavone dropped serve once in the second set but the former French Open champion recovered.
She next plays Sloane Stephens of the United States, who beat Ayumi Morita of Japan 6-3, 6-4.
Alize Cornet clinched her 7-6 (2), 7-6 (5) victory against Garrigues on her first match point against the fourth-seeded Spaniard, with both players losing their serve five times.
Cornet, who has one WTA title, next faces Pauline Parmentier in an all-French match.
Parmentier won 6-3, 6-3 against Russia’s Alexandra Panova.
Trainer O’Neill suspended by California racing board
Despite vigorously denying he gave one of his horses an illegal performance-enhancing mixture, trainer Doug O’Neill was suspended 45 days — a ban that won’t take effect until after his superstar colt, I’ll Have Another, tries to win the Triple Crown.
After a nearly two-year legal battle, California racing officials agreed with O’Neill but still found fault because of a rule that says trainers are ultimately responsible for horses in their care.
The ruling Thursday doesn’t prevent O’Neill from saddling his Kentucky Derby and Preakness winner in the Belmont Stakes on June 9.
From wire sources
