Minnesota’s lawmakers are not obligated to vote for public funding for stadiums, but they should be expected to at least weigh the evidence of any proposal, independent of what’s happened in the past, and make an objective decision.

Wednesday, May 09, 2001

Minnesota’s lawmakers are not obligated to vote for public funding for stadiums, but they should be expected to at least weigh the evidence of any proposal, independent of what’s happened in the past, and make an objective decision.

With so many legislators apparently unwilling to seriously think about any stadium funds, it doesn’t look like that will happen. To top it off, representatives are already worrying aloud about how their stadium votes will affect them in the next election. This is not good politics.

The Twins stadium bill that’s on the table is the best one yet, with very little contribution required by the public. The team would get an interest-free loan to cover the majority of the cost, with the team’s owner kicking in $100 million. The state would still be helping out, but considering the economic and cultural benefits of professional sports, it’s not much to ask.

The Minnesota Vikings are also shopping a stadium proposal around St. Paul. They’re looking for a larger state contribution, probably in the neighborhood of $300 million. At least half of that, the team says, can come from user taxes that only affect those who benefit from the stadium. The retractable-roofed venue would also be used as a new, on-campus home for the Gophers football team. At this point, all the football teams are asking is for an appointed panel to study the issue.

These plans are both better than just about every other baseball and football team in the nation has offered their communities. The user fees and no-interest loans they employ still constitute an additional burden for the state, but not as much as funding that comes straight from taxpayer pockets.

The value of publicly funded stadiums is up for debate, but we don’t elect lawmakers to ignore proposals that don’t necessarily excite them. They must study these issues carefully and make decisions independent of the stadium debates of the past. These are new bills, ones that are drastically different from the unpopular proposals of the last five years. We hope we can count on our representatives to take a close look.