Posted: 12/4/02

Columbus official rebuts report of Vikings' stadium site in township

Berk Brown
Staff Writer

Has Columbus Township been the victim of a publicity stunt by Minnesota Vikings owner Red McCombs? One could certainly draw such a conclusion.

In Tuesdayís edition of the Minneapolis Star-Tribune, it was made to look like the tiny township just west of Forest Lake had taken the initiative to help McCombs find a place to build a new stadium.

In fact, the township has never considered the stadium as an option in its freeway district and on Tuesday, Columbus Township Manager Elizabeth Mursko rebutted the way the story was reported in the metro newspaper.

ìIn my opinion, it would have to be a situation where the township took a listening approach. Columbus Township doesnít own any of the land (along I-35),î Mursko said. ìIt would have to be a private sell...it would be more of a case of us listening than us pursuing anything.î

The land in Columbus Township which was brought into speculation is roughly 800 acres of undeveloped land along a three-mile strip of land which is between Hwy. 97 and the I-35E and I-35W split.

Mursko said more than 70 individuals own land in that area.

The land has long been linked to rumors of a Vikings stadium. Part of the land was once owned by Clear Channel Communications. McCombs, at one time, was a major share holder in Clear Channel.

So when McCombs began talking about the need for a new stadium a handful of years ago, speculation immediately began to revolve around the property in Columbus Township.

Those with knowledge about the land in Columbus Township, however, have always dismissed the speculation as just rumors because of the quantity of wetlands and undevelopable acres within the proposed area.

Mursko said Tuesday that while the 800 acres the Minneapolis Star-Tribune first reported on this week is a sizeable area, she also said itís unclear if it could ever be developed into something that major.

ìNobody has ever actually gone out and dileniated the land. I know there are 800 acres there...but nobody really knows the definite answer as to how many developable acres we have,î Mursko said. ìThis is mostly farm land...and until someone has the necessary tests done, I couldnít even speculate on the idea (of a stadium being built there).î

So why would speculation have started about the land for a stadium in Columbus Township this time? It could be several things.

It has been reported that McCombs is trying to sell the Vikings but wants a new stadium. The idea of the Vikings and Minnesota Gophers sharing a stadium has broken down at times and has not produced any concrete solutions.

On Sunday, McCombs stated he would like to see some Twin Cities suburbs start to come forward to help him find a place for a stadium.

McCombs, according to sources, specifically mentioned Anoka County and was aware of the land in Columbus Township.

Mursko wouldnít comment on the idea that McCombs was using Columbus Township to light a fire under other suburbs, but said neither she nor the Town Board has ever discussed the notion of a stadium in their community.

When asked how many times the township has talked about pursuing such an option, Mursko replied, ìnever.î

In fact, Columbus Township had already scheduled a meeting for 7 p.m., Thursday, Dec. 12, to discuss new land-use ideas in the freeway district. None of those land-uses even hints at a possible stadium.

The Dec. 12 meeting will be hosted by the Columbus Economic Development Committee and will feature a presentation by township planner Dean Johnson.

The EDC is recommending township residents who want input on what the freeway district should look like to come to the meeting at the Columbus Town Hall.

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