YOUR GUIDE TO THE TWIN CITIES

Global Search

vikings/nfl

Pawlenty: 7-county tax for stadium won't fly

  • Article by: Dane Smith , Star Tribune
  • Updated: February 5, 2007 - 7:36 PM

Saying the Vikings are "in a real pickle," the governor dismissed talk of a metrowide sales tax to fund a new home for the team.

  • share

    email

Gov. Tim Pawlenty clipped the wings off the latest concept for building a new Minnesota Vikings stadium, saying Monday there is no political support for a seven-county metrowide sales tax to finance a $900 million stadium with a retractable roof.

Such a tax "isn't going to fly," Pawlenty told reporters in response to questions after an event in St. Paul. "The counties aren't going to support it. The people in the metro region aren't going to support it. I'm not going to support it."

Pawlenty also said the Vikings are "in a real pickle" because they don't have a host community where public officials are united in accepting the financing burden.

Vikings officials disclosed late last week that they have begun talking to state and local elected officials about building a stadium in the vicinity of the Vikings' current home, the Metrodome in Minneapolis.

The idea of a seven-county sales tax was part of those discussions, they said. The leaders of the House and Senate tax committees have said the proposal would at least be given a hearing.

On Monday, after learning of Pawlenty's comments, Lester Bagley, Vikings vice president for public affairs and stadium development, backed off the idea of a metrowide tax.

But he said that, at some point, Pawlenty needs to work with the team. And he noted that the Senate last year passed legislation to use a metrowide sales tax to help build a Vikings stadium.

"We are not advocating a seven-county metro tax at this time," said Bagley. "We're looking at all our options. It's premature to select any particular financing proposal. [But] at some point, you're going to have to find something that [the governor] can work with us on," he said.

Unambiguous nix

Pawlenty's unambiguous thumbs-down on the metrowide tax represented at least a subtle shift from the recent reaction to the proposal by his top spokesman, Brian McClung. In a Star Tribune article on Saturday, McClung said Pawlenty would "hold off judgment" on the latest proposal until more details were available, including whether funding could be secured from a private-sector partner.

Late Monday, after Pawlenty's comments on the sales tax, McClung said the governor "just wants to be clear on the front end of this discussion that he does not support a seven-county sales tax increase for a stadium. He's open to seeking other options, but what the governor has outlined is that a successful proposal needs a willing host community."

A partnership between Anoka County officials and the Vikings on a proposal to build a stadium and entertainment complex in Blaine unraveled late last year when county officials found that the team's ownership had approved a study of a Minneapolis site.

Staff writer Mike Kaszuba and the Associated Press contributed to this report. Dane Smith • 651-292-0164 • rdsmith@startribune.com

  • share

    email

explore the Vikings/NFL

ADVERTISEMENT

LA Lakers 88 FINAL
Boston 87
Golden State 109 FINAL
Denver 101
Houston 96 FINAL
Phoenix 89
Oklahoma City 101 FINAL
Sacramento 106
St. Louis 4 FINAL(SO)
New Jersey 3
Montreal 4 FINAL
NY Islanders 2
Tampa Bay 3 FINAL(OT)
NY Rangers 4
Toronto 3 FINAL
Philadelphia 4
Winnipeg 3 FINAL(SO)
Washington 2
Dallas 4 FINAL
Columbus 2
Nashville 3 FINAL
Ottawa 4
Los Angeles 1 FINAL
Florida 3
Vancouver 5 FINAL
Minnesota 2
Calgary 1 FINAL(OT)
Phoenix 2
(21) Wisconsin 68 FINAL
Minnesota 61
Ole Miss 60 FINAL
(20) Miss State 70
Illinois 71 FINAL
(23) Indiana 84
Tennessee St 72 FINAL
(9) Murray State 68
(16) St Marys-CA 59 FINAL
Gonzaga 73
Old Dominion 63 FINAL
(12) Delaware 76
Wisconsin 54 FINAL
(18) Penn State 69
(5) Duke 71 FINAL
Boston College 62
(8) Maryland 91 FINAL
Clemson 61
Detroit 70 FINAL
(9) Green Bay 58
(10) Ohio State 65 FINAL
Illinois 66
(24) South Carolina 47 FINAL
Arkansas 68
Michigan 63 FINAL
(13) Nebraska 52
U-S-C 52 FINAL
(4) Stanford 69
(19) Gonzaga 40 FINAL
B-Y-U 70
(11) Tennessee 79 FINAL
Vanderbilt 93

Connect with twitter Connect with facebook Connect with Rssfeed

ADVERTISEMENT

ADVERTISEMENT

question of the day

Poll: Rate the Super Bowl

Weekly Question

inside the StarTribune

help

Star Tribune offers digital subscriptions

entertainment

In Oscar nods, oldies are goodies

vita.mn

Vita.mn's 2012 Hotness search

investigators

A showcase of Minnesota’s best investigative reporting

Home

Lottery: Get the latest results

Home

Download our prep boys and girls hockey apps

 
Close