By Mike Kaszuba
Minnesota Vikings: 13 lobbyists at State Capitol -- and counting
With a plan for a new Vikings stadium now before the Legislature, and with under two weeks until adjournment, the team adds more lobbyists to their team
By mikekaszuba
May 4, 2010 at 11:36PM
The Minnesota Vikings may only be able to have 11 players on the field -- but at the State Capitol, when a new stadium is on the line, there are no such limits.
The Vikings now have 13 paid lobbyists at the Legislature, after formally adding three more in the past six days. The latest, Kristen Amundson, was added Tuesday, the day after a plan for a $791 million stadium was unveiled at the State Capitol. Ten of the team's 13 lobbyists have been hired since the first of the year.
One stadium plan -- supporters actually released two plans Monday -- would rely on a series of user taxes, including taxes on lodging and rental cars to raise money for the stadium. An alternative plan would attempt to divert money now being used to pay for Minneapolis' convention center.
Both plans are racing to get approved before the Legislature adjourns on May 17. But they have already been criticized by Gov. Tim Pawlenty and House Speaker Margaret Anderson Kelliher.
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