Dayton Includes $10 Million For St. Cloud Civic Center In Bonding Package

ST. PAUL  (AP) -- Gov. Mark Dayton is asking Minnesota lawmakers to borrow $1 billion for state-backed construction projects, which would include civic centers, a minor league baseball park and college labs.

The Democratic governor unveiled his recommendations Monday, but in unusual fashion.

Dayton gave his preferences for about half of the money and said the Legislature could fill in the rest.

Among his requests are $20 million for a new St. Paul Saints stadium and $28 million to upgrade Rochester's Mayo Civic Center.

Mankato and St. Cloud civic centers also would get a bonding boost.  Under Dayton's proposal, the St. Cloud Civic Center would get $10.1 million to finish the expansion project at the St. Cloud Civic Center.  The project is already underway using local Food and Beverage Tax dollars.  However, local leaders are seeking the state money to build a parking ramp in the lot behind the Mexican Village.  The money would also be used for some upgrades along the Mississippi River side of the building.

However, Dayton did not include the $42 million requested for a new Science Lab at St. Cloud State University.

Republican House Majority Leader Matt Dean isn't ruling out a bonding bill this year. But he says the GOP focus will be on
rerouting unspent money from past projects that never got off the ground.

(Copyright 2011 by The Associated Press.  All Rights Reserved.)