Minnesota Gov. Mark Dayton yesterday "pitched his vision for digging the state out of the building doldrums: a new Vikings stadium and spending on state buildings," according to Rachel Stassen-Berger of the Minneapolis STAR TRIBUNE. Dayton: "We need a people's stadium. Not a Vikings stadium. Not somebody else's stadium. The people of Minnesota's stadium, the way the Metrodome was. We need to do that again with the right kind of financing." He said "surcharges on tickets and souvenir and food and beverages" will help pay off construction bonds, but "not a dollar from general funds" will be used. Dayton said that the new stadium “would not only allow professional sports events but would also put construction workers back to work.” Stassen-Berger noted that Dayton “has not put a specific proposal on the table” (STARTRIBUNE.com, 3/29). State Sen. Julie Rosen, who “plans to sponsor Vikings stadium legislation,” said that “most pieces of the bill are in place.” She said that she “hadn't settled on a day to introduce the bill, nor would she discuss aspects of it ahead of time” (ST. PAUL PIONEER PRESS, 3/30). In St. Paul, Charley Walters writes, “Look for the Vikings stadium bill to be introduced in the Minnesota Legislature to be site-neutral” (ST. PAUL PIONEER PRESS, 3/30).
