The Vikings will propose a partnership with the Twins and
the Metropolitan Sports Facilities Commission (MSFC), which would
result in free rent and revenue sharing at the Metrodome for
University of Minnesota men's athletics, according the Charley
Walters of the ST. PAUL PIONEER PRESS. The Vikings own the 115
suites in the facility and would sell those to the sports
commission, who would pay for them "with its nearly $30 million
in reserves." The proposition still needs to be agreed to by the
Twins and the MSFC (ST. PAUL PIONEER PRESS, 3/26). This morning,
Walters reports the MSFC is "willing to listen" to a proposal
from the team, but the deal "has to make financial sense to the
commission, which, incidentally, wouldn't mind taking over the
Vikings novelty operation" (ST. PAUL PIONEER PRESS, 3/28).
MORE TWIN CITIES NEWS: Despite the fact that $84.6M in
bonds were issued on Thursday and businessman Glen Taylor has
completed his purchase of the Timberwolves, two state legislators
introduced a bill to make "technical corrections" in the state's
$750,000 annual contribution to the Target Center. The city-
backed Minneapolis Community Development Agency bought the arena,
when the planned sale to the MSFC ran afoul of federal tax laws.
Kathryn Keeley, chief of staff for Minneapolis Mayor Sharon
Sayles Benton: "The money has changed hands; the deal is done.
I'm surprised that after everything is done this would come up
now" (Kevin Diaz, Minneapolis STAR TRIBUNE, 3/28).
