In the midst of increased speculation involving a new Vikings stadium, two state legislative committees are touring the Metrodome early today.
Rep. Joe Atkins, DFL-Inver Grove Heights who chairs the House committee on Commerce and Labor, said the committees were invited by "kind of a combination of the Vikings and (the Metropolitan Sports Facilities Commission) people."
The commission owns the Metrodome and, with the Vikings, have been pushing for a new stadium for the team.
But Atkins said he was not reading too much into the tour and said the legislators were also scheduled today to visit Target field, the new home of the Minnesota Twins to open next year.
"Everyone that I've talked to this morning seems to have more of an agenda than I do," said Atkins. He said he viewed the Metrodome tour as largely routine, and said the committee has been touring schools, and other facilities in recent weeks.
Atkins' committee will join the House committee on local government in the tour.
