Sports Authority Wanted Snow Removal Priority For Minneapolis Super Bowl

MINNEAPOLIS (AP) - Newly released documents show the Minnesota Sports Facilities Authority wanted assurances that the National Football League would get priority plowing in the event of snowfall during Super Bowl week.

A draft letter from authority officials asked mayors of Minneapolis, St. Paul and Bloomington to pledge the NFL would have snow removal priority during the 2018 Super Bowl week. St. Paul Mayor Chris Coleman declined.

Coleman said in an email to a staff member that he didn't want to be on record as prioritizing "billionaires over everyday residents."

The authority later redrafted the request to emphasize the cities' competence in snow removal, without giving any special treatment to the NFL.

Authority chairwoman Michele Kelm-Helfen says it was not a demand by the NFL.