Hail mary? You bet…
GOP Rep. Tom Hackbarth has introduced legislation that would ask voters if a metro area casino should be built and the revenue to be used to build a new Vikings stadium. Here's the proposal.
Republican Representative Tom Hackbarth, of Cedar, said he's making the proposal to help break the logjam on the Vikings stadium issue.
"I've got a lot of constituents that want to see a new Vikings stadium but mostly I have constituents who don't want tax dollars going to build that stadium. This is a good alternative. Allow one privately owned casino in the metropolitan area. Pass a constitutional amendment that would allow that to happen and then that license for that casino would go to buy a new stadium for the Vikings..."
Hackbarth's proposal is the first attempt at reconciling the Vikings stadium issue. He says he has not checked with the Vikings to see whether they support the plan. Vikings owner Zygi Wilf has been lobbying for public funding for a new stadium, saying the stadium issue needs to be resolved soon. The Vikings lease on the Metrodome expires in 2011.
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