Minnesota Agencies

The Legislative Commission on Minnesota Sports Facilities is established by and under the authority of the Legislative Coordinating Commission to oversee the Minnesota Sports Facilities Authority's operating and capital budgets. The legislature finds that continuous legislative review of the financial management of the authority is necessary to promote fiscal responsibility and good management, and strengthen the accountability of the authority.

The commission must monitor, review, and make recommendations to the authority and to the legislature for the following calendar year on: any proposed increases in the rate or dollar amount of tax; any proposed increases in the debt of the authority; the overall work and role of the authority; the authority's proposed operating and capital budgets; the authority's implementation of the operating and capital budgets; and any other topics as deemed necessary by the commission to fulfill its purpose.

The commission shall report on January 15 of the even-numbered year on the effectiveness and future prospects of the commission.

Governor Mark Dayton signed a stadium bill into law on May 14, 2012. Dayton signed HF2958 (Laws of Minnesota 2012, Chapter 299) that calls for a $975 million, 65,000-seat roofed state-owned "People's Stadium" to be built primarily on the Metrodome site on the eastern edge of downtown Minneapolis. The team will cover $477 million of construction costs; the state $348 million; and Minneapolis $150 million.

The plan is to break ground in 2013 with the Vikings playing in the new facility in 2016. As currently envisioned the team will play in the Metrodome through the 2014 season and then at TCF Bank Stadium for a season, while the current stadium is razed and the new facility completed.

In 2025, the Legislature repealed the commission (see Laws of Minn. 2025, chap. 39, art. 2, sec. 69, subd. 1). The House Research Department notes in a bill summary that "according to the Legislative Coordinating Commission, the Legislative Commission on Minnesota Sports Facilities last met in June 2016."

The commission consists of three senators appointed by the senate majority leader, three senators appointed by the senate minority leader, three state representatives appointed by the speaker of the house, and three state representatives appointed by the house minority leader. The appointing authorities must ensure balanced geographic representation.