Kurt Zellers, Minnesota's Speaker of the House, has issued a statement about the Minnesota Vikings stadium bill.
The bill passed the Minnesota House on Monday and is expected to be taken up by the Senate on Tuesday.
Zellers, a Republican who is opposed to the bill, had this to say in the wake of the bill's passage in the House:
...While I voted against the bill, I gave my word to my colleagues, stadium supporters and Governor Mark Dayton that, despite my concerns, the bill would receive a fair process....
I will continue to facilitate this process as it moves forward, allowing all parties to resolve differences and -- more importantly -- better protect the interests of Minnesota taxpayers.
As leaders we rely on our word as currency when we build agreements. It is time to refocus attention on Minnesota's broader agenda -- a competitive economy that will foster business development and jobgrowth throughout the state. I respectfully ask Governor Dayton to work collaboratively with Republicansand Democrats to see the bipartisan Tax Relief and Job Creation Act and the infrastructure/bonding billsigned into law in this session.
The bill was approved by a vote of 73-58. Forty Democrats and 33 Republicans voted for it.
While there was excitement about Monday's decision, the new stadium still has hurdles to clear. The House and Senate bills differ significantly, according to the Pioneer Press. What's more, the amendments that made the bill palatable to the House increase the financial burden on the Vikings, which could a setback.
Keep checking out this SB Nation Minnesota stream for more stadium updates. For more on the Minnesota Vikings, go to Daily Norseman. You can also get all of your professional football news over at SB Nation's NFL hub.