Vikings Stadium Bill Presses on in Minnesota House

ST. PAUL  (AP) - The Minnesota Vikings stadium plan is still in play.

The House Rules Committee on Thursday granted the bill special clearance to keep moving through the committee process, a necessary step because the financing proposal missed normal deadlines.

The action was taken without debate, as is typical of matters before the committee made up of senior House members.

Gov. Mark Dayton has made authorization of a $975 million stadium in Minneapolis a top priority this session. It faces long odds, however, in the GOP-controlled Legislature.

As it stands, the proposal depends on an expansion of low-stakes gambling in bars and restaurants. Taxes on the games run by charities would foot the state's roughly $400 million contribution. Private sources and the city of Minneapolis would pay the rest.

(Copyright 2012 by The Associated Press.  All Rights Reserved)