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Judge dismisses effort to let Minneapolis residents vote on Vikings stadium

Doug Mann, who’d been one of the 35 candidates for Minneapolis mayor, brought the legal challenge in August.

A legal challenge that called for Minneapolis residents to vote on the Vikings stadium subsidy was dismissed today by Hennepin County Judge Philip Bush.

The challenge had been brought in August by Doug Mann, who was one of the 35 candidates running for Minneapolis mayor. He came in 10th last week in the race won by Betsy Hodges.

Mann had claimed that under the city charter, voters had to approve any stadium spending over $10 million. The city is putting about $150 million into the deal, along with about $350 million in state money.

The judge noted that, despite city officials’ claims otherwise, the charter language would have stood and the election been required, had not the Legislature overridden it when the stadium legislation was passed.

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Mann told MPR that he’s considering an appeal.