The State of Minnesota's House Government Operations Committee rejected a proposed deal that would allow for taxpayer subsidies for a new stadium to replace the Metrodome for the Minnesota Vikings.
The proposal was rejected by a 9-6 vote after a four-hour long hearing on the bill for a $975 million stadium plan.
The bill will most likely not be heard again in the current legislative sessions which ends in April.
"Somebody's going to have to pull a rabbit out of a hat for this thing to be alive at this point," said Rep. Morrie Lanning, the chief House sponsor said.
Governor Mark Dayton has been a proponent of stadium deals and believes a new stadium is essential in keeping the Vikings in Minnesota.
"I've done everything I can think of to persuade people and will continue to do so," Dayton said, "We have to get a stadium next year or the Vikings will leave."
The rejected proposal called for $398 million in tax funding, primarily from gambling, $150 million from the city of Minneapolis, and $427 million in separate funding from the Vikings.
"How do we as representatives of public taxpayers, how do we know we're getting a good deal?" asked Rep. Ryan Winkler, a member of the committee asked the Vikings prior to rejecting the deal.
According to Dayton, a new bill will likely be coming in the next legislative session.
