Negotiators for a new Vikings stadium "scrambled to rework the plan" yesterday after it "stalled in a crucial first committee hearing amid bipartisan complaints that the proposal remains deeply flawed," according to Kaszuba & Brooks of the Minneapolis STAR TRIBUNE. The setback came days after the nearly $1B project's "highly anticipated unveiling," leaving Gov. Mark Dayton -- the "stadium's biggest State Capitol backer -- blasting Republicans and stadium opponents for doing 'hatchet work' on the legislation and not saying what they would support." The proposal's "swift struggles shifted the spotlight to Republican House Speaker Kurt Zellers, who now could single-handedly scuttle the legislation if he does not approve a procedural exemption by late Friday." The Senate Local Government & Elections Committee "abruptly opted against a vote on the bill amid deepening questions about the state's reliance on an untested charitable gambling expansion to pay its share." State Sen. Julie Rosen "conceded that negotiators were scrambling to come up with a backup plan in case charitable gambling revenue fell short" (Minneapolis STAR TRIBUNE, 3/15). In St. Paul, Melo & Lien note Dayton yesterday "called on House and Senate leaders to end the 'theater of the absurd' surrounding" the stadium proposal and move the bill to a final vote. Without identifying Zellers or Senate Majority Leader David Senjem by name, the governor "sounded a rueful tone while urging the Republican leadership to take the stadium proposal to an up-or-down vote on the Senate and House floors." Dayton said, "I know when I'm not getting any help. I'm not as naive as someone thinks I am" (ST. PAUL PIONEER PRESS, 3/15).
