The day after the Minnesota Vikings announced the had a deal to build a new stadium in Ramsey County, Gov. Mark Dayton reiterated that the state would not pay extra to fund the more expensive plan.
According to the state's Transportation Department, the Ramsey County site would require a minimum of $175 million in state highway improvements to work. The Metropolitan Sports Facilities Commission said Tuesday that the Arden Hills site would cost as much as $1.28 billion; rebuilding the Metrodome in Minneapolis could cost $895 million.
"I think the numbers are clear -- $300 million from the state….If they can make that work then we have an agreement," Dayton said Wednesday. "If the state has highway improvements are necessary as part of that then that gets subtracted from the $300 million."
The governor said the highway improvements would come at a time when the state's transportation dollars are short.
"It is very clear to everybody that here in Minnesota…that the state funding for highway construction is limited and we need to address that probably in the next session. But for the time being the projects are lined up and we not going to change the sequencing of the projects because of a project development," Dayton said.
Regarding stadium bonds, he said: "The bonds that are going to be issued are not going to be paid with general fund revenues or general tax. They are going to be repaid with the proceeds from the stadium."
Despite potential stumbling blocks, the governor said the deal could be done before lawmakers end the session on May 23.
"I believe we are on track that this could be done but obviously (we) still have to nail down the details and the financing and the cost and who is going to responsible for what," Dayton said.
