Despite recent interest from the Vikings and downtown business leaders in two western stadium sites, Council President Barb Johnson expects the city to present only a Metrodome plan to the governor next week.
Johnson, who had not yet consulted with the mayor, said too many questions linger about the Linden Avenue and Farmers Market sites on the western half of the city. A development official said they may include relocated existing businesses, as well as surveying the environmental quality of the underlying land.
"In my opinion I don't think we can [present extra plans], because we just don't know enough about those other sites," Johnson said.
The Metrodome is a different story, however.
"We know how to do things at the Metrodome," Johnson said. "We've operated there for all these years and we know it works."
The city's deputy development director Chuck Lutz said some aspects of the two western sites remain unknown -- particularly what's in the ground.
"What are the geotechnical issues, what are the environmental issues of those sites," Lutz said Wednesday. "So that's what we don't know because we haven't invested any money doing that work because very frankly I don't want to spend any money if indeed they're going to go to Arden Hills."
While about two-thirds of the Linden Ave. site is owned by the city and Xcel Energy, Lutz said the Farmers Market area includes a number of different owners who would have to be relocated.
