National Football League

Vikings, Minnesota deserved to host 2018 Super Bowl

Published May. 20, 2014 10:34 p.m. ET

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Minnesota is building it and now we know the NFL is coming.

The Super Bowl, the prized sporting event in North America, was awarded to Minnesota on Tuesday when the NFL announced Super Bowl LII (52) in 2018 will be held in the Vikings' new $1 billion stadium.

And Minnesota, the city of Minneapolis and the Vikings earned the honor.

Tuesday's announcement had been more than a decade in the making.

As far back as 1997, the Vikings had sought a replacement for the Metrodome. Two different ownership groups had taken up the fight. Numerous team and civic leaders would work behind the scenes and many a politician would see their time in congress begin and end while Minnesota bickered over the proper way to replace the Metrodome.

Previous Vikings' owner Red McCombs approached the state government for financing to replace the Metrodome early in his tenure. Tired of losing the battle, McCombs gave in and sold the team to Zygi and Mark Wilf.

The Wilfs took up the fight with the state. At times it appeared Minnesota and the Vikings were close to agreements only to have no resolution in place and talks put off for another year.

The threats of moving to Los Angeles were ever-present. And, coincidentally, NFL commissioner Roger Goodell's appearance at the state capital in 2012 was eventually followed by the financing plan agreed upon by the state, the city of Minneapolis and the Vikings.

The state of Minnesota and city of Minneapolis deserved what the NFL gave them on Tuesday.

The Wilfs, for their persistence and partnerships -- and following through in possibly $500 million in private costs -- also earned the right to host a Super Bowl.

All the legal wrestling that had been done for years paid off in 2012 when the Vikings, the Wilfs, the state and city of Minneapolis agreed to the $975 million financing plan for a stadium to replace the Metrodome, which opened in 1982 and hosted a Super Bowl in 1992.

As soon as financing was agreed upon in 2012, the Vikings and business leaders went about the task of trying to lure a Super Bowl. The formal bid was placed earlier this year and league owners voted on Tuesday, awarding Super Bowl 52 to Minnesota over New Orleans and Indianapolis, surprisingly snapping New Orleans' streak of hosting the Super Bowl the first 10 times it had bid.

For the city and state's part -- a $348 million contribution from the state with $150 million coming from Minneapolis -- they get to take the lead now in hosting the premier event and end the bias of the Super Bowl going to Northern locations and cold locales.

The hospitality industry will see a boost, with more than 19,000 hotel rooms expected to be needed.

Studies done when Indianapolis hosted the Super Bowl in 2012 resulted in a reported $324 million in economic impact on Indianapolis. Six years later, when Minnesota's stadium is finished in 2016 and the Super Bowl is in town in 2018, will surely surpass that total.

Minnesota's bid to owners on Tuesday carried the theme "Built for the Bold."

The state of Minnesota and city of Minneapolis were surely bold in 2012 by ending the decades-long squabbling by agreeing to help finance the new stadium. The reward for everyone involved came Tuesday and it was well-earned.

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