Gov.-elect Mark Dayton met with House Republican leaders Tuesday and both sides described the meeting as open and congenial, with agreement on the need to work together to improve the state’s economic climate.
When they finished and talked with the press, though, a new Vikings stadium is what reporters wanted to know about, after the collapse of the Metrodome and Monday’s night’s odd game at the University of Minnesota’s stadium. Dayton seemed eager to get a stadium bill moving quickly, because the team doesn’t plan to renew its lease at the Dome.
House Speaker-designate Kurt Zellers, though, said it wouldn’t be one of the first bills coming out of the GOP caucus. The priority, he said, is “jobs and the economy.”
Both sides said the next move is up to the Vikings to come up with a proposal that narrows down what they want in a new stadium.
Dayton agreed that some business regulations need streamlining. And the honeymoon phase will continue for a while, as everyone exchanged cell phone numbers and talked about open door policies.
After Monday night’s game, doesn’t it become more obvious that the stadium solution is TCF Bank Stadium. Another 20,000 seats and more suites and a heated field plus some cold weather modifications.
Even if the U of M doesn’t like it, it seems that they could trade something at the legislature to make them happy.
It would benefit St. Anthony East, Stadium Village and the Dinkytown business areas at a relative small costs. Especially is Ziggy wants an open air stadium.