Mondale: Stadium plan has funding gap

Posted at 12:50 PM on May 12, 2011 by Tim Nelson
Filed under: Vikings stadium

Metropolitan Sports Facilities Commission chair Ted Mondale says the Vikings have the ball in the stadium debate and that the state is waiting for them to close the financial gap. Here's what he told MPR's Elizabeth Dunbar this afternoon.

"You've got a site from the perspective of the Vikings that works. We have a funding gap as it exists of this moment of approximately $175 million of state highway money, and may be as high as $240 million. I'm not sure if that number goes down later this afternoon. I know there's a lot of discussions with Ramsey and MnDOT. But at this point, that's where it stands. The Vikings have selected a local partner, there's a funding gap. Nobody's quite clear how to resolve that."

Ramsey County officials say they're trying to crack the infrastructure nut. But they don't seem to have the clear solution: more money.

That seems to leave the Vikings or (or someone on their behalf) to sweeten the pot. But Mondale says he thinks its their deal to make or break at this point:

"I don't see interest on behalf of the main legislators and the governor at this point of saying you have to go here," Mondale said. "I don't think anyone's talking about forcing the team into a deal."

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