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Home > Vikes Fans Hold Out Hope for House Vote

Vikes Fans Hold Out Hope for House Vote

FOX 21 News, KQDS-DT
Monday, May 7, 2012 - 9:28pm

By: 

Dana Thayer

Photojournalist: 

Adam Jagunich
  • Government (MN)
  • Sports News
  • Minnesota
  • North Shore
Duluth, MN, USA -
TWO HARBORS - Owners of the Viking Legends bar do not want to change their name. "It'd be devastating to us as a business," Viking Legends co-owner Mark Pearson said. "But I think also in the state, the Vikings are kind of the heart and soul of Minnesota." Pearson owns the Two Harbors bar with former Viking Jim Marshall. For the last year, the ups and downs for the Vikings, and their chances at a new stadium, start several of conversations. "It's been very troublesome," Pearson said. "The record and now the uncertainty about the stadium. We hope they put that together today and we don't lose our Vikings." Fans worried they could lose their Vikes rallied at the capitol Monday. The Minnesota House of Representatives continued debate for hours with a late night make–or–break vote expected by the end of the evening. However, an amendment the House added to the bill Monday, which takes $105 million of the cost off the state and adds to the Vikings' tab, could be risky. "The reason why I'm offering this amendment is to approve this bill and move it forward to conference committee," Rep. Pat Garofalo (R) from Farmington said. "To have a bill that can be signed into law that the Vikings can support and governor Dayton can sign." "I can assure you there have been a lot of tough negotiations trying to squeeze as much as we can," Rep. Morrie Lanning (R) from Farmington said. "But I want to caution you that there's a limit to how much we can squeeze." "It seems like there should be an easier solution to the problem," Pearson said. "I know it's very complex with different revenue sources and different opinions in the state but I think overall the majority of people in Minnesota do not want the Vikings to leave." Funding sources, amendments and complexities aside, fans in Two Harbors and around the state want to keep their purple pride and held out hope that Monday's vote could be the state's first rush to the goal line. "I just hope they can come together and settle their differences and get this done today," Pearson said. Several different amendments were on the table throughout the day Monday. Rep. Tom Rukavina (DFL) from Virginia was successful in adding an amendment to the bill that requires at least 25 percent of products used for the stadium be made in Minnesota.

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Source URL (retrieved on 2013-05-23 14:33): http://www.fox21online.com/content/vikes-fans-hold-out-hope-house-vote