Last reviewed April 2025
Minnesota Issue Guide
Financing Professional Sports Facilities
This guide is compiled by staff at the Minnesota Legislative Reference Library on a topic of interest to state legislators. It introduces the topic and points to sources for further research. It is not intended to be exhaustive.
Books and Reports • Articles • Internet Resources • Additional Library Resources
Many professional sports facilities have been built in the United States over the last several decades -- including several in Minnesota. Many have questioned the wisdom of using public funds for sports facilities as the stadium decisions were being made.
Public financing of large public facilities is always a challenge. Will it be worth the cost? How will the construction costs be funded? Is it an appropriate use of public funds? Advocates for new sports facilities often stress the economic benefits that a new facility can bring to the community. Opponents frequently point out that many economic impact studies on the topic have found that the benefits may not be substantial. However, the intangible benefits a professional sports team can bring to the community also play a large part in any decision to build a new sports facility.
In Minnesota, funding alternatives have included a cigarette tax, a ticket tax, use of casino or lottery proceeds, and public ownership of the professional team. Funding options that have been used in other states include: hotel/motel taxes, a general sales tax, new excise taxes on tobacco and alcohol, car rental taxes, state lottery funds, and money generated from the sale of luxury seating and rights to purchase season tickets.
The debate on whether public funds should be used to build new stadiums continues despite the completion of three new stadiums in the Twin Cities in recent years -- Target Field in 2010, U.S. Bank Stadium in 2016, and Allianz Field in 2019. The Minnesota Legislative Reference Library has compiled several guides on specific stadium debates in Minnesota:
Significant Books and Reports
Baade, Robert Allen. Stadiums, Professional Sports, and Economic Development: Assessing the Reality. Detroit: Heartland Institute, 1994. (GV415.B34 1994b)
Baim, Dean V. The Sports Stadium as a Municipal Investment. Westport, CT: Greenwood Press, 1994. (GV415.B35 1994)
Cagan, Joanna. Field of Schemes: How the Great Stadium Swindle Turns Public Money into Private Profit. Monroe, ME: Common Courage Press, 1998. (GV415.C34 1998)
Caught Stealing: Debunking the Economic Case for D.C. Baseball. CATO Institute, 2004.
Coates, Dennis, and Brad R. Humphreys. The Growth Effects of Sports Franchises, Stadia and Arenas. Working Paper No. 97-02. Baltimore: University of Maryland, Baltimore County, 1997. (GV716.C63 1997) (A newer version of this paper is available online. A version was also published in Journal of Policy Analysis and Management, Fall 1999, p. 601-24.)
Danielson, Michael N. Home Team: Professional Sports and the American Metropolis. Princeton, NJ: Princeton University Press, 1997. (GV706.35.D36 1997)
Gayer, Ted; Austin J. Drukker; and Alexander K. Gold. Tax-Exempt Municipal Bonds and the Financing of Professional Sports Stadiums. Washington, D.C.: Brookings Institution, 2016. (GV415 .G39 2016)
Matheson, Victor A. The Economic Impact of Sports Facilities, Franchises, and Events: Contributions in Honor of Robert Baade. Springer, 2023. (GV716 .E26 2023)
Noll, Roger G., and Andrew Zimbalist. Sports, Jobs, and Taxes: The Economic Impact of Sports Teams and Stadiums. Washington, DC: Brookings Institution, 1997. (GV716.S647 1997)
Petersen, David C. Sports, Convention, and Entertainment Facilities. Washington, DC: Urban Land Institute, 1996 (NA6880.5.U6 P49 1996)
Quirk, James, and Rodney D. Fort. Pay Dirt: The Business of Professional Team Sports. Princeton, NJ: Princeton University Press, 1992, 1997 update. (GV716.Q57 1997)
Rafool, Mandy. Playing the Stadium Game: Financing Professional Sports Facilities in the 90s. Denver: National Conference of State Legislatures, 1997. (GV415.R34 1997)
Rosentraub, Mark S. Major League Losers: The Real Cost of Sports and Who's Paying for It. New York: Basic Books, 1997. (GV716.R67 1997)
Shropshire, Kenneth L. The Sports Franchise Game: Cities in Pursuit of Sports Franchises, Events, Stadiums, and Arenas. Philadelphia: University of Pennsylvania Press, 1995. (GV581.S57 1995)
Stadium Finance: Government's Role in the 1990s. Madison: State of Wisconsin Legislative Reference Bureau, 1996. (JK6074.I52 no. 96-1)
Stadium Financing. Minneapolis: Minnesota Institute of Legal Education, 1998. (GV415.S723 1998)
Zimmerman, Dennis. Tax-exempt Bonds and the Economics of Professional Sports Stadiums. Washington, DC: Congressional Research Service, 1996. (GV415.Z55 1996)
Reports Specific to Minnesota
Advancing Arts and Athletics: Planning and Funding Arts and Sports in Minnesota. St. Paul: Minnesota Planning, 1998. (GV430.M6 M566 1998) (Governor Arne H. Carlson's Task Force on Sports Facilities.)
Analysis of Stadium Options. Minneapolis: Metropolitan Sports Facilities Commission, 1997. (GV416.T9 A53 1997)
Analysis of the Estimated Historical Tax Revenue Benefit to State, County and Local Governmental Agencies from Activities Associated with Major Professional Sports Facilities in Minnesota. Minneapolis, Minn. : RSM McGladrey, Inc for the Metropolitan Council., 2009. (GV716.A53 2009)
The Canterbury Proposal: Report to the Minnesota Stadium Task Force. Shakopee, MN: Canterbury Park, 1997. (HV6711.C36 1997)
Dyson, Deborah A. State and Regional Financing for Sports Facilities. St. Paul: Minnesota House of Representatives, House Research Department, 1996. (GV430.M6 D97 1996)
Economic and Fiscal Impacts Analysis Related to the Location of a National Hockey League Franchise in St. Paul: Final Report. St. Petersburg: KPMG Peat Marwick, December 1996. (GV848.4.U6 E36 1996)
Economic Impact Report: Minnesota Twins and a Proposed New Ballpark. Minneapolis: Arthur Anderson & Co., Minnesota Wins, 1997. (GV875.M6 E36 1997)
Economic Impact Report on Target Center. Minneapolis: Arthur Andersen & Co., 1994. (GV416.M6 E26 1994)
Final Report. Minneapolis: Advisory Task Force on Professional Sports in Minnesota, 1996. (GV716.M48 1996)
Final Report of the Minnesota Stadiums Task Force. St. Paul: Minnesota Stadiums Task Force, January 25, 2002.
Hirasuna, Donald. The Economics of Sports Stadiums: Evaluating the Benefits from Public Assistance. St. Paul: Minnesota House of Representatives, House Research Department, 1997. (GV415.H57 1997)
Klobuchar, Amy. Uncovering the Dome: Was the Public Interest Served in Minnesota's 10-Year Political Brawl Over the Metrodome? Prospect Heights, IL: Waveland Press, 1982. (GV416.M6 K45 1982)
Loan Agreement for the Saint Paul Arena Project. n.p., 1998. (GV416.S3 L63 1998)
Maintaining a Minnesota Tradition: Minnesota Twins Information Kit. Minneapolis: Minnesota Twins, 1997. (GV875.M6 M354 1997)
McCormack, Patrick J., and Randal S. Hove. Hockey Issue Questions & Answers. St. Paul: Minnesota State Senate, Office of Senate Counsel & Research, March 19, 1998. (GV416.S3 M33 1998)
McCormack, Patrick, and Randal S. Hove. Stadium Discussion Points. Research Report. Senate Counsel & Research, 1997. (GV415.M33 1997)
Metrodome. Minneapolis: Metropolitan Sports Facilities Commission, 1995. (GV416.M6 M38 1995)
Minnesota Stadium and Arena History. St. Paul: Minnesota House of Representatives Research Department, 2010. (GV415.M56 2010) (This chart includes financing details for each major stadium.)
Minnesota Vikings Football Club Presentation to Stadium Panel. Minneapolis: Minnesota Vikings, 1997. (GV956.M5 M55 1997)
Procedures Relating to an Evaluation of the Source of Financial Information Included by the Minnesota Twins in its Report, Management's Discussion and Analysis. Minneapolis: Coopers & Lybrand, 1996. (GV875.M6 P76 1996)
Public Disclosure of Information Related to the Construction of a New Civic Center Arena in St. Paul. St. Paul: Minnesota Wild, 1998. (GV416.P83 1998)
Response to Information Requests from the Stadium Task Force and Additional Background Information. Minneapolis: Metropolitan Sports Facilities Commission, 1997. (GV416.M6 R47 1997)
Shape the Solution: Keep Minnesota Major League: Resource Guide for the Minnesota Stadium Task Force. Minneapolis: Metropolitan Sports Facilities Commission, 2001. (GV416.M6 S53 2001)
Squeeze Play: The Campaign for a New Twins Stadium. Minneapolis: University of Minnesota, Department of Speech Communications, Minnesota Public Advocacy Research Team, 1998. (GV416.M6 S68 1998)
Stadium Finance Update. Saint Paul, Minnesota: Fiscal Analysis Department, Minnesota House of Representatives, 2023. (GV413 .S72 2023)
Stadium Financing. Minneapolis: Minnesota Institute of Legal Education, 1998. (GV415 .S723 1998)
State and City Share of Stadium Finance Summary Based on the 2022 November Forecast. St. Paul: House of Representatives, Fiscal Analysis Department, 2023. (GV413 .S723 2023)
Weiner, Jay. Stadium Games: Fifty Years of Big League Greed and Bush League Boondoggles. Minneapolis: University of Minnesota Press, 2000. (GV 716.W43 2000)
Significant Articles
(articles in reverse chronological order)
"A sports stadium boom is coming to America. Is that a good thing?" Washington Post, April 5, 2024.
"The Economics of Sports Stadiums: Does public financing of sports stadiums create local economic growth, or just help billionaires improve their profit margin?" Berkeley Economic Review, April 4, 2019.
Farmer, Liz. "How Cities Fell Out of Love With Sports Stadiums: Major League Teams Used to Get Everything They Wanted From Sports-Mad Cities." Governing, May 2018, p. 46-50.
Wolla, Scott A. "The Economics of Subsidizing Sports Stadiums." Page One Economics, May 2017, p. 1-3.
Wassmer, Robert W., Ryan S. Ong, and Geoffrey Propheter. "Suggestions for the Needed Standardization of Determining the Local Economic Imact of Professional Sports." Economic Development Quarterly, 2016, Volume 3, p. 252-266.
Fisher, Ronald C., and Robert W. Wassmer. "Time to Question the Public Benefits of Pro Sports Subsidies." State Tax Notes, October 19, 2015.
Povich, Elaine S. "Is Obama Proposal the End of Taxpayer-Subsidized Sports Stadiums?," Stateline, March 16, 2015.
Brainerd, Jackson. "Are Publicly Financed Sports Stadiums Worth the Cost?" The NCSL Blog, January 9, 2015.
Propheter, Geoffrey. "Sports Facilities and the Property Tax." State Tax Notes, April 29, 2013, p. 391-402.
Kuriloff, Aaron, and Darrell Preston. "In Stadium Building Spree, U.S. Taxpayers Lose $4 Billion," Bloomberg Business, September 4, 2012.
Articles Specific to Minnesota
(articles in reverse chronological order)
Olson, Rochelle. “Focus on connection, not billions in stadium funding debates.” The Minnesota Star Tribune, March 31, 2025.
Magan, Christopher. “Key lawmaker says Target Field $55 million sales tax extension should wait until 2026.” The Minnesota Star Tribune, March 26, 2025.
Melo, Frederick. “St. Paul mayor, Wild owner pitch Xcel Energy Center to senate panel.” Pioneer Press, March 26, 2025.
Basham, Brian. “St. Paul officials seek more than $400 million in state funds for sports facility upgrades.” Session Daily, March 20, 2025.
Melo, Frederick. “St. Paul looks to state for half of $769 million renovation of the Xcel Center.” Pioneer Press, March 20, 2025.
Albertson-Grove, Josie. “A Ferris wheel in downtown St. Paul? They’re pitching it for the Saints baseball stadium.” The Minnesota Star Tribune, March 19, 2025.
Galioto, Katie. "St. Paul, Minnesota Wild want state to cover half of $769M Xcel Energy Center renovation." The Minnesota Star Tribune, March 19, 2025.
Olson, Rochelle, Katie Galioto and Christopher Magan. "Minnesota Pro Sports Teams Face Vast Stadium, Ballpark and Arena Needs." The Minnesota Star Tribune, February 7, 2025.
Shipley, John and Frederick Melo. “Minnesota Wild owner pitches bigger Xcel Center remodel, 650-room hotel for downtown St. Paul.” Pioneer Press, October 3, 2024.
Walsh, James. "St. Paul officials say Xcel Energy Center is showing its age — and they want state help to fix it up." Star Tribune, December 9, 2023.
Callaghan, Peter. "Minnesota Wild taps former state budget director as lobbyist. Is a public ask for Xcel Energy Center renovations next?" MinnPost, November 14, 2023.
Cook, Mike. “Paying off stadium bonds early could be a touchdown for MN taxpayers, lawmakers say.” Session Daily, February 16, 2023.
Orrick, Dave. “Minneapolis wants state to erase its U.S. Bank Stadium debt early, too.” Star Tribune, February 11, 2023.
Cook, Mike. “Proposed stadium refinance fund seeks to save state millions of dollars.” Session Daily, March 2017, 2022.
Significant Internet Resources
Minnesota Stadium Task Force, 2001-2002 -- The Stadium Task Force was created by Governor Ventura and the Legislature in 2001 to study and make recommendations regarding the asserted needs of the Minnesota Twins, the Minnesota Vikings and the University of Minnesota football team for new stadiums.
Additional Library Resources
For historical information, check the following codes in the Newspaper Clipping File and the Vertical File:
S150 (Stadiums)
For additional reports at the Legislative Reference Library, use this Library catalog search:
Stadium Finance.