Just a couple weeks ago, the Minnesota Vikings' hopes of getting a new stadium seemed grim. Talk of the team relocating to Los Angeles was starting to heat up, and there was even some talk amongst Detroit Lions fans about what would happen to the NFC North. If the Vikings were relocated to LA, would the St. Louis Rams be moved to the NFC North?
Don't answer that question, because it's a moot point now. The stadium situation for the Vikings completely changed in the last week, and now the team is set to stay in Minnesota. Plans for their new stadium are finally moving forward.
"We're here to stay," Vikings owner Zygi Wilf said Thursday night at a press conference to celebrate the passage of a stadium bill.
The project, which is expected to cost $975 million, calls for the Vikings' new stadium to open in 2016 if everything goes according to plan. The Vikings will continue to play in the Metrodome for the next few seasons before moving outdoors to the University of Minnesota's TCF Bank Stadium in 2015. They could move to the school's stadium for longer, but right now the Vikings are hoping to play there for only one season.
As a Lions fan, it's nice to see the Vikings are finally getting their stadium situation figured out. It would have been awful for their fans if the team had to move, and it'll be nice for the Lions to play somewhere other than the Metrodome for one of their away games every season.
Reminder: You can follow Pride of Detroit on Twitter and like us on Facebook.