In a pretty positive bit of news for the Minnesota Vikings' potential stadium bill, the Minnesota Department of Transportation lowered the cost estimates for the road repairs that would be needed around the site of the former Twin Cities Army Ammunition Plant to enhance the site's ability to handle game day traffic.
The cost estimates originally came in at approximately $175 million. However, the cost estimates that were released today put those figures at $131 million, according to the Minneapolis Star-Tribune.
Earlier this week, NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell met with Governor Mark Dayton, and said that the National Football League would help to contribute to the construction of a Vikings' stadium. However, a specific figure was not released, and probably won't be until after the league settles their current labor dispute. The league used to have something called the "G3" program that would allow the league to help with stadium construction, but that fund ran dry in 2006 after they gave money to help with the construction of the New Meadowlands in New Jersey for the New York Jets and the New York Giants. There is no word yet whether or not the G3 program would be reborn under the new Collective Bargaining Agreement, or whether the NFL would use another means to make that happen.
It's not entirely clear at this point whether the NFL's contribution was figured in to the $407 million that the Vikings have pledged towards the project, or if it would be separate. One would think that, without an actual dollar figure on the NFL's contribution, it would be tougher to factor that in.
We will continue to cover the Minnesota Vikings' stadium quest here at SB Nation Minnesota when there are new developments.