SW Minneapolis Delegation Split on Vikings Vote

While he may be on the way towards seeing his Vikings stadium dream come true, it looks like Minneapolis Mayor RT Rybak couldn't sway at least two of his Southwest Minneapolis constituents with . In Monday night's state House vote to aprove public funding for a new Minnesota Vikings Stadium, DFL Reps. Frank Hornstein and Susan Allen joined 56 of their colleagues in opposing the measure.

House DFL minority leader Paul Thissen was the lone exception, voting in favor of the measure along with many fellow DFLers. The final vote was 73-56.

According to WCCO reporter Pat Kessler, Hornstein told colleagues he wanted Minnesota's biggest companies to pitch in for the stadium. Stadium boosters have said the Vikings are essential to attracting the kinds of skilled workers Minnesota corporations need.

"Not this bill. Not tonight," the Linden Hills legislator said.

The measure heads next to the Senate. If approved, a conference committee will be appointed to iron out the differences between House and Senate bills, including a provision inserted Monday that increases the Vikings' share of the project by $105 million.