Minnesota Senate Passes Vikings Stadium Bill 38-28

The Minnesota Senate voted 38-28 Tuesday night to support a $975 million stadium plan to provide a new facility for the Minnesota Vikings.

"The love some Minnesotans have shown for this football team is nothing short of amazing," Sen. Geoff Michel (R-Edina) said prior to the vote. "(A professional football team) is part of our brand. It is one of the reasons people come here and stay here and raise families here. Having an NFL franchise is part of what the Twin Cities and Minnesota offer to the rest of the world."

Michel also told the Senate the letters and emails he has received in favor of the stadium outnumber those opposed to it by a margin of 10 to 1. 

Sen. Dave Thompson (R-Lakeville) did not hide his disdain for the gambling portion of the bill. "If we pass this bill we are cementing and expanding and creating a recipe that is ripe for corruption," Thompson said. "Let's do the right thing and vote 'no'." 

Wrapping up the debate Sen. Julie Rosen (R-Fairmont) spoke about the process and the importance of compromise.

"We all wanted a stadium. We all had different ideas of how to do it," Rosen said. "There's nothing wrong with the word 'compromise.' We all didn't get what we wanted but ... it's a good bill and it's good for Minnesota and good for our charities. This is a good proposal, there is a lot of win-win in it." 

Sen. Rosen concluded by thanking the Vikings organization, Gov. Mark Dayton and the people of Minnesota.

Now that both the and Senate have passed their versions of a stadium bill, conference committees will negotiate the differences between the two bills to create a final bill that addresses all the amendments. 

The Senate conference committee includes: 

• Sen. Rosen (R-Fairmont)
• Sen. Ingebrigtsen (R-Alexandria)
• Sen. Reinert (DFL-Duluth) 

The House conference committee includes:

• Rep. Lanning (R-Moorhead)
• Rep. Hoppe (R-Chaska)
• Rep. Morrow (DFL-St. Peter)

The final bill will then will be sent back to the House and Senate for a final vote and then to Gov. Mark Dayton's desk to be signed into law.