Minneapolis Council Wants Vikings Referendum

ST. PAUL (AP) - The Minnesota Vikings may finally be warming to a new football stadium at the Metrodome site, but the Minneapolis City Council is not sold.

A majority of the council oppose Mayor R.T. Rybak's stadium funding plan unless there's a citywide vote on the issue. Rybak told council members Thursday he want the city to contribute more than $300 million from an existing city sales tax in order to help the team and the state build a $920 million stadium.

That would require the state to override a Minneapolis charter amendment that voters must directly approve spending more than $10 million on a stadium.

Rybak says he doesn't believe council opposition is firm. He opposes a referendum and says voters will get their say when he's up for reelection.