Minnesota Gov. Mark Dayton "capped three days of Vikings stadium-related meetings Wednesday by announcing he will unveil his own proposal early next month," according to Doug Belden of the ST. PAUL PIONEER PRESS. Dayton said that by the end of next week he "wants questions answered and agreements finalized so he can develop his plan." Dayton has said that he will "call a special legislative session on the stadium for Nov. 21-23 if lawmakers agree to restrict action to that issue." But Dayton and other stadium backers are "facing a skeptical audience in Republican legislative leaders." State House Majority Leader Matt Dean said, "The state's hurting right now." Dayton "appears to be done with stadium meetings for the week," after he met with NFL execs Monday and Minneapolis developers yesterday. Dayton said that the major issues left to resolve include a "commitment from the Vikings to be responsible for time delays and cost overruns at the Arden Hills site," identifying the "source of the state's $300 million contribution to the project," settling the "question of a Ramsey County public referendum on a sales tax increase," eliminating of "the rights of any party to walk away from the deal, and issues related to stadium operation and control" (ST. PAUL PIONEER PRESS, 10/20). In Minneapolis, Baird Helgeson notes Dayton is "determined to keep" the Vikings in Minnesota. In a meeting yesterday with Vikings Owner Zygi Wilf, Dayton "made clear he expects the Vikings to cover any cost overruns at the Ramsey County Arden Hills site the team has picked for its new home." He also said that the team "should have no right to pull out of the project once it agrees to it." Dayton indicated that Wilf "told him he would consider his conditions." Wilf after the meeting said that he was happy with the progress made (Minneapolis STAR TRIBUNE, 10/20).
