Dayton 'Shocked' That Vikings Refuse Soccer Games At U.S. Bank Stadium
MINNEAPOLIS (WCCO) -- The governor says the Minnesota Vikings don't have the legal right to ban Minnesota United from playing games at U.S. Bank Stadium while a new soccer stadium is under construction in St. Paul.
Minnesota United breaks ground on that new stadium next week, and wants to play some games at U.S. Bank Stadium in Minneapolis until its new facility opens in 2018, but the Vikings say no.
DFL Gov. Mark Dayton told reporters today he's "shocked" by the Vikings lack of cooperation.
"It just seems to me like sour grapes that this other group can't play," he said. "They're not talking about playing a whole season, just select games. But the principle is this is a people's stadium. It belongs to the people of Minnesota. It doesn't belong to the Vikings, or any individual. It belongs to the people of Minnesota."
The Vikings say the 2012 law creating the stadium gave them exclusive rights for five years to bring a Major League Soccer team into the facility.