SavetheVikes' Cory Merrified Throws Support to New White Earth Casino Plan to Fund Stadium

As Minnesota lawmakers and key stadium constituents fumble over Vikings stadium funding, another new proposal has been brought to the table.

Erma Vizenor, chairwoman of the White Earth Tribe, laid down a plan at the Capitol for a Twin Cities casino on non-reservation land, which promises to share revenue with the state 50-50. Backers say the deal could pay for a people’s stadium and could also provide funding for other public purposes.

Numerous funding options have been disagreed upon or shut down, but Shakopee resident, Vikings fan and founder of SavetheVikes.org Cory Merrifield, says it's a new spin on prior funding initiatives such as racino and he has thrown his support behind it.

"As the Minneapolis City Council continues to drag its feet, once again a local community has stepped up to assist in solving the Vikings stadium issue in the 2012 session," said Merrifield. "We applaud the White Earth Tribe for its desire to collaborate on the stadium issue and creating new jobs for Minnesotans."

There is no word yet on where such a casino would be built but at least one person said in a tweet to Shakopee Mayor Brad Tabke last night that "Shakopee is as good as anywhere."

In January, Tabke, along with a small group, proposed building a stadium in Shakopee, near Valleyfair. Tabke has said recently he is working on a funding plan that would not include the initially-proposed racino funds.

With today's idea, Merrifield said White Earth is offering something no other Minnesota Tribal Casino has – to split the revenues of a metro area casino evenly with the state.

"SavetheVikes.org supports this solution for the same reason we continue to support racino – it is self sustainable, creates jobs and keeps the Vikings in Minnesota without a sales, property or general fund tax increase."

John McCarthy, executive director of the Minnesota Indian Gaming Association, told the Star Tribune he is critical of the proposal.

"We're opposed to expansion of gambling and we're opposed to off-reservation gambling, no matter who does it," he said in the Star Tribune report.

The White Earth Band does not belong to the gaming association, but boasts Minnesota's largest and most populous reservation, with more than 20,000 band members. The tribe operates Shooting Star Casino in Mahnomen.

Few additional details have been made available on the proposal but Merrifield will be among those participating in a press conference on the topic at the Capitol in room 125 at 10:30 a.m. Feb. 16.