HomeMy WebLinkAbout2016 03-15 Mpls. planners reject Vikings bid to rename street | KARE11 Mpls. planners reject Vikings bid to rename street
John Croman,KARE 1.13 AM.CDTMarch 15,2016
MINNEAPOLIS--The Minneapolis Planning Commission
r
Monday dealt a setback to the Minnesota Vikings,voting
against the team's request to rename the street that runs
past US Bank Stadium.
The team sought to have a three-block stretch of Chicago
Ave., including a section known as Kirby Puckett Place,
changed to"Vikings Way."
The NFL team drew comparisons to the fact a portion of 3rd
Avenue North was renamed "Twins Way,"allowing Target Field to have the address One Twins
Way.
"They went through a very similar, identical process that we went through to change the street
name, but our's appears to be more contentious,"Lester Bagley,the Vikings Vice President for
Government Affairs,told KARE.
"We thought under precedent,and making the case about the long term iconic business,and
how important the Vikings are to hundreds of thousands of Minnesotans that they would see
the value of it. But not today."
The City staff recommended approval of the change,and the Minneapolis City Council will
have final say. But the planning panel voted unanimously Monday night to recommend the city
council turn down the team's request.
Some commissioners argued the name change would cause confusion, because some people
would be thrown by the Chicago Avenue changing as they drive past the stadium, and and
then changing back to Chicago Ave. as continue down the road.They pointed out that Twins
Way is on part of 3rd Avenue that is blocked by Target Field.
Other commissioners said"Vikings Way"would go against the city's road labeling playbook.
One criteria of naming streets is that they not be named for companies or products.
"If this was a proposal for Target Way instead of Nicollet Avenue,or Wells Fargo Way instead
of Chicago Avenue,should we expect you to be recommending approval of this name
change?"Planning Commissioner Lisa Bender,who is also a City Council member,asked a
staff member.
Bagley's assertion that the Vikings are an iconic sports team,and part of the fabric of
Minneapolis history,fell on deaf ears.
"Half of the streets in the city could be named after firms, banks,other businesses,"Sam
Rockwell,a planning commissioner,added. .
"We allow business names to be displayed in public.We allow them to be displayed on the
buildings.The Vikings decided to sell their naming rights,which is their prerogative."
By contrast,General Mills Blvd.and Betty Crocker Drive are located outside of Minneapolis in
the suburb of Golden Valley. And 3M Road is located in Maplewood.
Hillary Dvorak of the city planning staff said that particular section of Chicago Avenue was
listed as Ames Street in the city's original 1855 plat,and was changed to 8th Avenue South in
1873. In 1949 the downtown portion of 8th Avenue South was renamed to Chicago Ave.South,
to match the name of the longer street it flowed into.
The portion between 4th St.and 5th St.was renamed Kirby Puckett Place in 1996, in honor of
the Twins' Hall of Famer. At the time the Twins,Vikings and Golden Gophers shared the
Hubert H. Humphrey Metrodome.
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