Gov. Mark Dayton Tuesday wrote a stern letter to the Minnesota Vikings' owners threatening to undo the stadium deal if they pass on the team's share of building costs to fans.
"The project's strong support came from many regular Minnesotans, not just rich Minnesotans, because they believed the Vikings are also their team. If a new stadium were to betray that trust, it would be better that it not be built," he wrote.
The license fees allow fans and corporations to pay a one-time surcharge for the right to select the best season tickets. The fees can mean a windfall for the team owners, but critics say the move will allow high-rollers to jettison longtime season ticket holders to worse seats.
The Vikings firmly defended their right to proceed with seat licenses fees, or so-called builder's licenses.
The stadium agreement "expressly authorize the sale of stadium builder's licenses and include the proceeds of any sale in the project budget," the team said in a statement. "Stadium builder's licenses were vetted by the Legislature, testified to by Vikings and state of Minnesota negotiators, and most importantly, specifically reflected in the stadium legislation that was passed and signed by the governor."
Read the rest of the letter below.
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