While there is "no active plan" to disrupt St. Paul's MLS venue plans in Ramsey County, neighboring Hennepin County officials "would be ready with an offer" for Minneapolis should those plans fall through, according to a front-page piece by Melo & Shipley of the ST. PAUL PIONEER PRESS. Hennepin County Commissioner Mike Opat on Tuesday said, "If that plan doesn't come together, we certainly are interested in talking with [Minnesota] United again." Melo & Shipley note Minneapolis Mayor Betsy Hodges, who "balked at United's request for property tax relief, has acknowledged a willingness to revisit a soccer stadium in her city if the St. Paul deal falls through" (ST. PAUL PIONEER PRESS, 12/23).
SLOW YOUR ROLL: Former Hennepin County Commissioner Mark Stenglein, who is reportedly part of the local group spearheading the MLS initiative, said that despite having a recent meeting, a group led by Opat and businessmen Chuck Leer and Mark Oyaas is "not angling to wrestle the stadium away from St. Paul" (BIZJOURNALS.com, 12/22). St. Paul-based KSTP-ABC's Jay Kolls cited sources as saying that Opat, Stenglein, Leer and Oyaas recently "discussed ideas on how to bring the new soccer stadium to downtown Minneapolis near the Farmers Market next to Target Field." Sources said that the four "talked about using surplus tax money collected" for the Twins stadium as a revenue partner with the owners of Minnesota United FC. If Hennepin County went that route, the full county board "would have to vote to approve it with a simple four-vote majority." Then, the Legislature would have to "approve diverting the Twins ballpark money to help build the soccer stadium." Sources also said that Hennepin County officials think St. Paul will "have a difficult time getting the money it will need approved by the Legislature to help build the stadium for a MLS franchise" (KSTP.com, 12/22).
