That amendment, which would not allow local taxes for stadiums with a referendum, could delay or kill stadium construction, according to experts.
In 1999, the last time a stadium referendum was held in Minnesota, St. Paul voters soundly defeated a sales tax for a Twins ballpark. Some argue that the subsequent success of the Minnesota Wild and the Xcel Energy Center could help a referendum pass this time.
St. Paul and Minneapolis are competing for a Twins ballpark, while Blaine is the only city in the running for the Vikings football stadium. If the stadium bill passes the legislature, a new Minnesota Stadium Authority would choose one of the cities, after which a referendum would be held in the selected community.
If Minneapolis was selected, the referendum would be held in Hennepin County because county taxes would be imposed. A referendum also would be held throughout Anoka County, which wants to impose taxes for a Vikings stadium in Blaine.
One successful amendment gives incentive to the University of Minnesota's plan for a campus football stadium. If the university can finance 60% of the $222-million stadium project through private donations, the governor and Legislature should agree to appropriate the rest, the bill says.
In the case of a $525-million Twins ballpark, for example, $250 million would come from the host community, $100 million from the state and $175 million from the team. The state's share is limited to $185 million for a Vikings stadium estimated to cost $645 million.
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