RECAPPING THE DAY

The Senate bill passed on a 38-to-28 vote.

Changes to original Senate bill:


• State gets stadium plaza naming rights.
• Vikings share of stadium increased to $452 million. State share is capped at $373 million. Cost overruns are responsibility of Vikings.
• An Internet sales tax survived, even though money isn’t earmarked for stadium..

Major action approved today
• Sen. Marty successfully proposed an amendment that does not allow the Legislature to exempt the stadium from a Mpls City Charter provision requiring a referendum if funds are used to build a stadium.
• Later, the Senate weakened Marty’s amendment by striking a clause and limiting exemption of to a referendum to the stadium, not to Target Center, which gets $150 million in this deal. The net effect is to exempt Target Center spending from the city charter.
• A ban on TV blackouts of Vikings games.
• Removes the exclusive right of the Wilf family to negotiate for a Major League Soccer franchise and the rent-free deal for the team for five years.

Major action rejected today:
• Funding the stadium by allowing the White Earth band to build a metro casino and having the stadium site in Arden Hills.
• Electronic pull tab was removed as funding source, and user fees were substituted. Sen. James Metzen moved for reconsideration, however. On the next vote, the amendment to remove gambling and insert users fees failed on a 30-35 vote.
• Increasing the state’s revenue from the stadium to 56%
• Approving a racino (combination race track and casino) to fund stadium, eliminate $150 million Minneapolis contribution, increase state funding to $598 million with a retractable roof
• A so-called ‘right to work’ amendment that gave workers authority to bargain as individuals.
• A move to add legalized fireworks to the bill failed 32-34.
• Rejected a move to ban the use of “personal seat licenses” to raise money. by Bob Collins, MPR News edited by Michael Olson, MPR News 5/9/2012 4:54:20 AM