Dayton: No gambling in Minnesota budget proposal

Published 7:05 am Thursday, February 3, 2011

ST. PAUL — Gov. Mark Dayton says he doesn’t expect to include new gambling dollars in the state budget he will present in two weeks.

The Democratic governor told reporters Tuesday there probably won’t be a casino component to his forthcoming budget.

Dayton indicated support for a state-owned casino as a candidate last year. A budget plan his campaign released included a state-owned casino at or near the Mall of America in Bloomington or the Minneapolis-St. Paul International Airport. He said then that such a casino could produce up to $80 million for the state right away.

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Now he says the money wouldn’t come in soon enough so he’s not expecting to put it in his budget.

Minnesota faces a projected $6.2 billion deficit over the coming two years.