With House Speaker Kurt Zellers saying he remains opposed to a special legislative session for a Minnesota Vikings stadium, his Republican leadership colleague in the Senate is less certain what might happen. Senate Majority Leader Amy Koch said a special session yet this year to deal with the stadium was still a possibility. "I think it could be," said Koch. "I don't think we're there yet. I don't think we're ready for one yet – certainly, not today," she said in a Tuesday interview. Zellars, in an earlier message to House members, said: "I have repeatedly told Governor [Mark] Dayton that I will not support a special session for a Vikings stadium. This issue can be addressed during the regular session" beginning in late January. Their comments came after Gov. Mark Dayton, in another up-and-down day of Vikings stadium developments, said Tuesday that there was no political support for a legislative exemption to block a voter's referendum on a local sales tax increase to help build the stadium. Vikings Vice President Lester Bagley said Wednesday that the strategy of "avoiding" the stadium issue has not worked.
"It's only going to get more expensive and more difficult to resolve, especially if the state allows the lease to expire with no action," he said. "The Vikings' lease expires in 90 days, at that point we will be the only NFL team without a lease." The Vikings want to build a $1.1 billion stadium in Ramsey County's Arden Hills and, as part of that agreement, the county had agreed to increase sales taxes to raise $350 million for the controversial project. Koch said that, at last Friday's meeting with Dayton and others, it was obvious that both DFL and Republican legislative leaders felt there was not enough support for a referendum exemption among state lawmakers. Koch, who said she wanted a referendum, said many stadium supporters may have mistakenly assumed that since the Minnesota Twins' Target Field got an exemption five years ago the same would happen to the Vikings. "I wondered about that, as I think folks sort of assumed that that wouldn't be an issue" to get a referendum exemption for the Vikings. "[I said], 'Well, it's very much a different group now' " at the Legislature. Koch meanwhile acknowledged that at one point during last spring's legislative session there were indications that there were 35 votes in the Senate – the minimum number needed – to pass racino legislation that could help fund the stadium. But she said the tally assumed that some DFLers would support the measure, and she said she never confirmed an exact count with Senate DFL leaders. Racino legislation would permit slot machines at the state's horse racing tracks, and supporters are continuing to argue that some of the money could be used for a Vikings stadium. Koch said she was not sure what type of gambling expansion -- if any -- should be used to help fund a stadium. "I'm not ready to nail one down yet," she said. -- Staff Writer Rochelle Olson contributed to this report.
