Miller backs casino to fund Vikings stadium

By Mary Juhl winonadailynews.com | Posted: Friday, April 6, 2012

Proponents of a new Vikings stadium have found assistance from a new source: Sen. Jeremy Miller.

The Winona Republican introduced a bill this week that would create a partnership between the state and the White Earth Nation to construct a stadium and new casino. White Earth has offered $400 million to fund the entire public share of the proposed stadium if the state agrees to regulate and audit a casino the tribe hopes to open in the Twin Cities metro area. Casino revenue would be split evenly between the state and White Earth.

“This is a pretty great example of a public-private partnership, and it would absolutely create jobs and promote jobs in the state of Minnesota,” Miller said.

The White Earth Nation, located east of Fargo in the northwest part of Minnesota, is the state’s largest and economically poorest tribe. It has occasionally sought state backing for a Twin Cities casino for several years. It appears to have found an unlikely partner with a southeast Minnesota lawmaker. But Miller said the stadium issue is one people raise every time he returns to his district.

“When we talked about this months ago, feedback from constituents was really positive,” he said. “They thought this was an idea that made sense to fund the Vikings stadium.”

Miller began aggressively pursuing the idea months ago, he said. He said the bill has bipartisan support in both the House and Senate, though it may not be enough. A solid bloc of lawmakers opposes any major expansion of gambling. Plus, the state’s wealthiest American Indian tribes see unwanted competition to their own Twin Cities-area casinos and have powerful allies in the Legislature.

“I don’t know that it has the votes,” House Speaker Kurt Zellers said.

And Miller will have to fast-track the bill — legislators are headed home for a 10-day break, and it isn’t clear how ambitious they’ll be at the Capitol as they prepare to hit the campaign trail.

“I’m still optimistic that we can get something done on the Vikings stadium,” Miller said. “I’m not going to stop until the end.”

The Associated Press contributed to this story.