The newest plan to build a home for the Minnesota Vikings comes in just under $1 billion. The Vikings will pay about half of that amount. The rest will come from Minneapolis and the state. Governor Mark Dayton says 'not a single tax dollar from the state's general fund' will go for the project. (Rendering from the Metropolitan Sports Facilities Commission.)

Vikings owner Zygi Wilf says he won't pay as much money for a stadium built in Minneapolis. He has his eyes set on a stadium in Arden Hills. Wilf will contribute more than $400 million to a stadium in Arden Hills, but says a stadium at any other site won't warrant 'that level of commitment.'

According to reports filed with the state Campaign Finance and Public Disclosure Board, the Vikings spent about $115,000 lobbying state lawmakers in the first five months of 2012. Most of the money was from the team's vice president of public affairs and stadium development. Lester Bagley led the effort to secure public funding for a new NFL stadium in downtown Minneapolis.

When their new stadium is built, the Vikings say they’ll set aside space for “at least one” Super Bowl trophy. That was one of the headlines today in a team teleconference with season ticketholders. Vice President Lester Bagley also said the team is also trying to figure out how to add a retractable roof.

After ten hours of hearings regarding the Vikings' stadium, the state Senate went home today with some bad news for the Vikings. Governor Mark Dayton doesn't believe there will be a special session to vote on a stadium bill. In fact, he says there likely won't be any vote at all until next spring.

The Tea Party could be one factor holding back a publicly subsidized Vikings stadium. The New York Times says the issue is bringing together liberals with conservatives who are calling loudly for less spending and smaller government. It doesn't help that the state is wrestling with severe financial problems.

Vikings defensive end Jared Allen is sticking his neck out on the stadium issue. He says fans deserve a new place to cheer the Purple simply because the addition of tailgating would create a better game-day atmosphere for the paying customers. He also says the Metrodome is beyond outdated, joking that the Vikings' locker room has four showers with hot water