By Kevin Duchschere

Minneapolis Mayor R.T. Rybak is seeking a meeting with Gov. Mark Dayton this week to remind him that the Minnesota Vikings' home city for the last 30 years remains interested in keeping the team.

Rybak spokesman John Stiles said they had hoped for a meeting Thursday, but the schedules didn't work. They'll try again for Friday.

In the last couple weeks, Stiles said, Rybak has called Vikings co-owner Mark Wilf to let him know of the city's ongoing interest.

Rybak has said that he supports Ramsey County's efforts to build a Vikings stadium in Arden Hills, if it's necessary to keep the Vikings in Minnesota. But if the Arden Hills effort fails, Minneapolis is a possible fallback, with at least two and possibly three stadium sites: the Metrodome and in the Farmers Market area near Target Field.

Regarding talk of a possible Block E casino as a possible stadium funding source, Stiles said that Rybak isn't a fan of expanded gambling. If it were to happen downtown, he said, the mayor would want to dedicate some proceeds to disadvantaged communities in the city. Rybak also would oppose a downtown Minneapolis casino to help fund an Arden Hills stadium, Stiles said.