House Votes Yes on Vikings, Hansen Votes No

The House of Representatives passed the Vikings stadium bill Monday evening.

Rep. Rick Hansen (D-District 39A) voted against the bill.

The bill passed the House 74-56, where it needed 68 to pass.

Hansen has said he is opposed to public financing for stadiums. He said Friday that emails from constituents have been split about 50/50 on the topic. (Read the bill's funding components on Session Daily)

Rep. Joe Atkins (D-Inver Grove Heights) before the vote, but did not say how he would vote. Atkins voted in favor of the stadium.

Atkins will run in therepresenting southern Mendota Heights in the next election.

Now the bill faces a floor debate and vote in the Senate. 

Sen. Jim Metzen (D-South St. Paul) said Monday he is in favor of passage. "It will make it through the Senate—if it gets that far."

While Metzen said he has no appetite to use general fund money for the stadium, he is supportive of the use of charitable gambling revenue.

"I don’t want to be a senator that votes on my watch to see them leave town," said Metzen.

The bill would have to be passed as-is in the Senate to be sent directly to Gov. Mark Dayton, otherwise a conference committee would be its next destination.

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