Senator John Sterling Howe

State Capitol, Office 323 75 Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Blvd. St. Paul, MN 55155-1606 Office: (651) 296-4264 Email: sen.john.howe@senate.mn

May 6, 2012 Lester Bagley Vice President of Public Affairs & Stadium Development Minnesota Vikings Football, LLC Dear Lester: Thank you for your letter of earlier today, expressing your concerns about S.F. 2391 and my proposed amendment regarding user fees. I always appreciate hearing from you. I also appreciate your concerns about some of the provisions of my proposal that seek to include user fees as part of the funding mechanism for a new stadium. I'm particularly sensitive to your points regarding the ability of the Vikings to remain competitive, and the ability of a new facility to remain competitive in the marketplace. As you know, I've been largely supportive of the stadium effort, and I appreciate the value of the Minnesota Vikings as an asset to the entire state. As I've said before, I want to see a stadium get built, and I want to see the Vikings remain in Minnesota. At the same time, my obligation as a Senator is to ensure that Minnesota's taxpayers bear as small a burden of the construction costs as possible, while also limiting the exposure of those same taxpayers to any financial risks arising from the project. There is a very strong sentiment among my constituents and others in Minnesota as well that the people who will ultimately use and benefit from the stadium should be asked to bear a greater share of the cost. The best way to make certain that happens is through direct user fees, rather than general taxes. It's my belief that including some kind of user fee as part of the financing package will not only make that financing more stable, but will make the stadium project more palatable to an even greater number of Minnesotans. Again, I am excited about the possibility of finally getting a stadium project passed, and seeing the Vikings play in their new home. I look forward to meeting with representatives of the Vikings so that we can discuss our mutual concerns. Sincerely,

Senator John Howe cc: Governor Mark Dayton Senate Majority Leader David Senjem Senate Minority Leader Tom Bakk Senator Julie Rosen Speaker of the House Kurt Zellers House Majority Leader Matt Dean House Minority Leader Paul Thissen Representative Morrie Lanning

Committees Transportation - Vice Chair Energy, Utilities, and Telecommunication Jobs and Economic Growth Taxes Serving Goodhue, Wabasha, and Winona Counties Altura, Bellechester, Cannon Falls, Elba, Goodview, Hammond, Kellogg, Kenyon, Lake City, Lewiston, Mazeppa, Millville, Minneiska, Minnesota City, Pine Island, Red Wing, Rollingstone, St. Charles, Stockton, Utica, Vasa, Wabasha, Wanamingo, White Rock, Zumbro Falls, Zumbrota