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Legislator says stadium bill may come next week 'without fanfare' -- really?

By Joe Kimball | 03/11/11

A legislator expected to sponsor a Vikings stadium bill says it may be ready for introduction next week.

Rep. Morrie Lanning, a Republican from Moorhead, told the Star Tribune that there is “a possibility” the legislation could be introduced next week.

Then he said: “We don’t expect to have a lot of fanfare. We’re not planning a lot of fanfare.”

No fanfare? Lanning is in his fifth term and knows any stadium bill is going to be greeted with a huge amount of fanfare by the media and Vikings fans and stadium opponents.

And there's still no word from Lanning or others on how much public subsidy will be built into the plan, the paper said:

“We continue to work on that, and you’re just going to have to wait until we finish the bill to find out what those ideas are,” said Lanning. He added however that, whatever the proposed funding plan is, “this body [the Minnesota House] or the other body [the state Senate] will have maybe some other ideas.”

No fanfare, though.

Comments (3)

Submitted by Bridget Helwig on March 11, 2011 - 3:39pm.

Perhaps Rep. Lanning has an unknown tendency towards being sardonic. I think it's interesting how the entirety of (official) public comment came in the form of the Arden Hills city hall meeting a few weeks ago- which was packed, despite the issue not being confirmed as "on the table" via the city's website as of half an hour to the start of the meeting.

Submitted by William Pappas on March 12, 2011 - 8:21am.

Republicans have backed themselves into a hole that has no room for public funding or financing of a new Vikings stadium. Revenue has become so challenged in the era of tax cuts for the rich and benefit cuts for the poor that dumping hundres of millions into a stadium requires an absurd amount of intellectual denial. Had rich people paid their fair share for the last ten years then possibly Minnesota might be able to find the revenue. Forget it now. The morality that has to be embraced to build a playground for players that make salaries approaching a hundred million while shoving people off of life saving medical care is obscene. Unfortunately it is the very morality that republicans must accept every morning they wake up. Guess they'll lead the charge.

Submitted by Rod Loper on March 12, 2011 - 3:33pm.

I am sure all those luxury suites in the new Vikings venue are tax deductible business expenses
for the job-creating class. Going to a major golf event or major league game lets one check out the corporate oligarchs and their pavilions. I bet this is a selling point in the majority party's
"business-friendly" agenda.