St. Paul Mayor Norm Coleman, in search of $65M in state
aid to help fund a $130M hockey arena for the Wild, "was
told by legislators Wednesday to look for additional ways to
raise the money other than an outright grant from the
state," according to Robert Whereatt of the Minneapolis STAR
TRIBUNE. House-Senate conference committee members were
"most critical" of a provision in the deal requiring the
city to compensate the team for any state-imposed tax or
surcharge on the team, players or patrons, such as salary or
ticket surcharges or an additional sales tax on concessions.
Whereatt adds that "several legislators" suggested yesterday
that the Wild-St. Paul arena lease be renegotiated. But Pam
Wheelock, Dir of Planning & Economic Development for the
city of St. Paul, said renegotiation is "unlikely," as the
lease is a "legally binding agreement." Coleman said that
the city will look at other funding options "without
renegotiating the lease" (Minneapolis STAR TRIBUNE, 3/26).
MORE QUESTIONS: In St. Paul, Dan Browning reports that
Chris Hansen is the fifth local government official "whose
personal fortunes seem to be integrally bound to the
fortunes of the Wild." It "appears" that Hansen may quit
his $90,000-a-year job as Exec Dir of the RiverCentre
convention hall "for a comparable job running the new hockey
arena for the Wild" (ST. PAUL PIONEER PRESS, 3/26).
