Dayton Taps Former Supreme Court Chief for Stadium Role

ST. PAUL -- Gov. Mark Dayton is tapping a former Minnesota Supreme
Court chief justice to lead the state's embattled oversight agency of the
Minnesota Vikings' stadium.

Dayton named Kathleen Blatz as interim chairwoman of the Minnesota Sports
Facilities Authority on Thursday. It follows a massive leadership shakeup at the
Minnesota Sports Facilities Authority last week. Authority chairwoman Michele
Kelm-Helgen and executive director Ted Mondale resigned on the same day.

Blatz says her top goal is restoring the public's trust. The state's
legislative auditor found that authority members including Kelm-Helgen and
Mondale had issued nearly half of the suite tickets to friends and family.

But Blatz's role may be short-lived. Republicans at the Legislature are
charting massive changes to the authority's membership in response to the audit
controversy.