The article under required readings entitled "Progress, Pain for Vikings Stadium in 2015(https://www.proquest.com/docview/1752748699?accountid=38569&parentSessionId=p3JEjRmhuFN5O68Eqy8MB9CjcUXJI3RjTUV0lO9qVFg%3D)" describes the construction progress of the U.S. Bank Stadium in Minneapolis, Minnesota during its construction. One of the items highlighted in the article is the costthere were some staggering numbers cited by the author in terms of cost overruns! For example, the author states in one year, the project costs had increased by $65 million for a total cost increase from $1.026 billion to $1.091 billion. Since there are public monies being utilized for approximately half of the cost of the facility, there is an entity overseeing the construction on behalf of the public.

The board of this entity approved budget increases at 10 out of 12 meetings in a 12-month time span. The remaining cost was funded by the NFL franchise, the Minnesota Vikings. Even though the Minnesota Vikings absorbed a large amount of the cost overruns, state and city taxpayers were likely concerned that such a large project with a relatively short construction window (31 months) could have been under-budgeted to this degree.

This is a commonly debated issue in the media, so whether you are a sports fan/music lover/theater buff/monster truck fan, it's your turn to weigh in! Use this discussion board as a debate for one side or the other by responding to this question:

1. Is there a way that the Minnesota Sports Facilities Authority (MSFA) can reach a middle ground where they can satisfy their obligation to the taxpayers by not going over budget and also creating a world-class sports stadium?