The future of the new Vikings stadium in downtown Minneapolis is up to the Minnesota Supreme Court, which has agreed to address the most recent roadblock to the massive project. The court ordered all of the parties in the stadium’s newest funding dispute to file a memorandum of law by 4:30 Thursday afternoon.
The Associated Press reported that the state’s highest court opted against dismissing the case, which has tied up some of the funds needed for construction of the $1 billion stadium in downtown Minneapolis.
The Star Tribune provided the background to the suit. Last Friday, former mayoral candidate Douglas Mann, his wife Linda, and former Minneapolis school board member David Tilsen filed a lawsuit claiming the funding plan for the stadium was illegal. The uncertainty over that action prompted the state to cancel a $468 million bond sale scheduled for this week.
On Monday, a request filed by the stadium authority to intervene in the case was granted by the Supreme Court. On Tuesday, the Minnesota Department of Management and Budget responded, stating that the Mann and Tilsen lawsuit has several flaws, including their failure to lodge their complaint in a timely manner. The state asked the court to dismiss the challenge and asked that the trio who filed the suit be required to post a $49.7 million surety bond to cover potential losses if they are unsuccessful in their pursuit.
The delay in straightening out the funding could stall work on the project and ultimately push back the scheduled debut of the stadium, targeted for the 2016 NFL season. It could also impact payment for hundreds of workers and businesses involved in the construction of the project.
Justice Alan Page, a former Vikings player, recused himself in the case.
