1.1 	 A bill for an act
1.2 	 relating to a ballpark for major league baseball; providing for the financing, 
1.3 	construction, operation, and maintenance of the ballpark and related facilities; 
1.4 	establishing the Minnesota Ballpark Authority; defining members of the 
1.5 	authority as public officials; providing powers and duties of the authority; 
1.6 	providing a community ownership option upon sale of the team; authorizing 
1.7 	Hennepin County to issue bonds and to contribute to ballpark costs and to 
1.8 	engage in ballpark and related activities; authorizing local sales and use taxes 
1.9 	and revenues; authorizing expenditures of tax revenues for youth activities and 
1.10 	amateur sports and the extension of library hours; requiring actions by the state, 
1.11 	the city of Minneapolis, and the Hennepin County Regional Railroad Authority; 
1.12 	amending Minnesota Statutes 2004, sections 10A.01, subdivision 35; 297A.71, 
1.13 	by adding a subdivision; repealing Minnesota Statutes 2004, sections 473I.01; 
1.14 	473I.02; 473I.03; 473I.04; 473I.05; 473I.06; 473I.07; 473I.08; 473I.09; 473I.10; 
1.15 	473I.11; 473I.12; 473I.13.
1.16 	 BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF MINNESOTA:

1.17 	 Section 1. Minnesota Statutes 2004, section 10A.01, subdivision 35, is amended to 
1.18 	read:
1.19 		 Subd. 35.Public official.  "Public official" means any:
1.20 	 (1) member of the legislature;
1.21 	 (2) individual employed by the legislature as secretary of the senate, legislative 
1.22 	auditor, chief clerk of the house, revisor of statutes, or researcher, legislative analyst, or 
1.23 	attorney in the Office of Senate Counsel and Research or House Research;
1.24 	 (3) constitutional officer in the executive branch and the officer's chief administrative 
1.25 	deputy;
1.26 	 (4) solicitor general or deputy, assistant, or special assistant attorney general;
1.27 	 (5) commissioner, deputy commissioner, or assistant commissioner of any state 
1.28 	department or agency as listed in section 15.01 or 15.06;
2.1 	 (6) member, chief administrative officer, or deputy chief administrative officer of a 
2.2 	state board or commission that has either the power to adopt, amend, or repeal rules under 
2.3 	chapter 14, or the power to adjudicate contested cases or appeals under chapter 14;
2.4 	 (7) individual employed in the executive branch who is authorized to adopt, amend, 
2.5 	or repeal rules under chapter 14 or adjudicate contested cases under chapter 14;
2.6 	 (8) executive director of the State Board of Investment;
2.7 	 (9) deputy of any official listed in clauses (7) and (8);
2.8 	 (10) judge of the Workers' Compensation Court of Appeals;
2.9 	 (11) administrative law judge or compensation judge in the State Office of 
2.10 	Administrative Hearings or referee in the Department of Employment and Economic 
2.11 	Development;
2.12 	 (12) member, regional administrator, division director, general counsel, or operations 
2.13 	manager of the metropolitan council;
2.14 	 (13) member or chief administrator of a metropolitan agency;
2.15 	 (14) director of the Division of Alcohol and Gambling Enforcement in the 
2.16 	Department of Public Safety;
2.17 	 (15) member or executive director of the Higher Education Facilities Authority;
2.18 	 (16) member of the board of directors or president of Minnesota Technology, Inc.; or 
2.19 	 (17) member of the board of directors or executive director of the Minnesota State 
2.20 	High School League; or 
2.21 	 (18) member of the Minnesota Ballpark Authority established in section 4.

2.22 	 Sec. 2. Minnesota Statutes 2004, section 297A.71, is amended by adding a subdivision 
2.23 	to read:
2.24 		 Subd. 33.Building materials exemption. Materials, supplies, and equipment used 
2.25 	or consumed in, and incorporated into the construction or improvement of the ballpark, 
2.26 	and public infrastructure constructed pursuant to sections 3 to 10, are exempt.

2.27 	 Sec. 3. CONSTRUCTION AND FINANCING OF MAJOR LEAGUE 
2.28 	BALLPARK.
 2.29 		 Subdivision 1.Purpose; findings. The purpose of this act is to provide for the 
2.30 	construction, financing, and long-term use of a ballpark primarily as a venue for major 
2.31 	league baseball.  It is hereby found and declared that the expenditure of public funds for 
2.32 	this purpose is necessary and serves a public purpose.  It is further found and declared that 
2.33 	any provision in a lease or use agreement with a major league team, that requires the team 
2.34 	to play its home games in a publicly funded ballpark for the duration of the lease or use 
3.1 	agreement, serves a unique public purpose for which the remedies of specific performance 
3.2 	and injunctive relief are essential to its enforcement.  It is further found and declared 
3.3 	that government assistance to facilitate the presence of major league baseball provides 
3.4 	to Hennepin County, the state of Minnesota, and its citizens highly valued intangible 
3.5 	benefits that are virtually impossible to quantify and, therefore, not recoverable even if 
3.6 	the government receives monetary damages in the event of a team's breach of contract. 
3.7 	Minnesota courts are, therefore, charged with protecting those benefits through the use 
3.8 	of specific performance and injunctive relief as provided herein and in the lease and 
3.9 	use agreements.
3.10 		 Subd. 2.Location. The ballpark must be located in the city of Minneapolis at a 
3.11 	site within the development area.
3.12 		 Subd. 3.Definitions. As used in this act, the following terms have the meanings 
3.13 	given in this subdivision:
3.14 	 (a) "Authority" means the Minnesota Ballpark Authority established under section 4.
3.15 	 (b) "Ballpark" means the stadium suitable for major league baseball to be constructed 
3.16 	and financed under this act.
3.17 	 (c) "Ballpark costs" means, unless the context otherwise indicates, the cost of 
3.18 	designing, constructing, and equipping a ballpark suitable for major league baseball. 
3.19 	"Ballpark cost" excludes the cost of land acquisition, site improvements, utilities, site 
3.20 	demolition, environmental remediation, railroad crash wall, site furnishings, landscaping, 
3.21 	railroad right-of-way development, district energy, site graphics and artwork and other 
3.22 	site improvements identified by the authority, public infrastructure, capital improvement 
3.23 	reserves, bond reserves, capitalized interest, and financing costs.
3.24 	 (d) "County" means Hennepin County.
3.25 	 (e) "Development area" means the area in the city of Minneapolis bounded 
3.26 	by marked Interstate Highway 394, vacated Holden Street, the Burlington Northern 
3.27 	right-of-way, Seventh Street North, Sixth Avenue North, and Fifth Street North.
3.28 	 (f) "Public infrastructure" means all property, facilities, and improvements 
3.29 	determined by the authority or the county to facilitate the development and use of 
3.30 	the ballpark, including but not limited to property and improvements for drainage, 
3.31 	environmental remediation, parking, roadways, walkways, skyways, pedestrian bridges, 
3.32 	bicycle paths, and transit improvements to facilitate public access to the ballpark, lighting, 
3.33 	landscaping, utilities, streets, and land acquired and prepared for private redevelopment in 
3.34 	a manner related to the use of the ballpark.
3.35 	 (g) "Team" means the owner and operator of the baseball team currently known 
3.36 	as the Minnesota Twins.

4.1 	 Sec. 4. MINNESOTA BALLPARK AUTHORITY.
 4.2 		 Subdivision 1.Establishment. To achieve the purposes of this act, the Minnesota 
4.3 	Ballpark Authority is established as a public body, corporate and politic, and political 
4.4 	subdivision of the state.  The authority is not a joint powers entity or an agency or 
4.5 	instrumentality of the county.  The authority may acquire title to all land, air rights, and 
4.6 	other interests in real property needed for construction and operation of the ballpark 
4.7 	and related facilities.  The authority may enter into contracts for and take all actions 
4.8 	necessary or desirable to design, construct, furnish, equip, and provide for the operation, 
4.9 	maintenance, and improvement of the ballpark and related facilities, and has all powers 
4.10 	necessary or incidental to those actions.
4.11 		 Subd. 2.Composition. (a) The Minnesota Ballpark Authority shall be governed 
4.12 	by a commission consisting of:
4.13 	 (1) two members appointed by the governor;
4.14 	 (2) two members, including the chair, appointed by the county board; and 
4.15 	 (3) one member appointed by the governing body of the city of Minneapolis.
4.16 	 (b) All members appointed under paragraph (a), clause (1), serve at the pleasure of 
4.17 	the governor.  All members appointed under paragraph (a), clause (2), serve at the pleasure 
4.18 	of the county board.  The member appointed under paragraph (a), clause (3), serves at the 
4.19 	pleasure of the governing body of the city of Minneapolis.
4.20 	 (c) Compensation of members appointed under paragraph (a) is governed by 
4.21 	Minnesota Statutes, section 15.0575.
4.22 	 (d) One member appointed under paragraph (a), clause (1), must be a resident of 
4.23 	a county other than Hennepin.  All other members appointed under paragraph (a) must 
4.24 	be residents of Hennepin County.
4.25 		 Subd. 3.Chair. The chair shall preside at all meetings of the commission, if 
4.26 	present, and shall perform all other assigned duties and functions.  The commission may 
4.27 	appoint from among its members a vice-chair to act for the chair during the temporary 
4.28 	absence or disability of the chair.
4.29 		 Subd. 4.Bylaws. The authority shall adopt bylaws to establish rules of procedure, 
4.30 	the powers and duties of its officers, and other matters relating to the governance of the 
4.31 	authority and the exercise of its powers.  The bylaws adopted under this subdivision shall 
4.32 	be similar in form and substance to bylaws adopted by the Metropolitan Sports Facilities 
4.33 	Commission pursuant to Minnesota Statutes, section 473.553.
4.34 		 Subd. 5.Web site. The authority shall establish a Web site for purposes of providing 
4.35 	information to the public concerning all actions taken by the authority.  At a minimum, the 
4.36 	Web site must contain a current version of the authority's bylaws, notices of upcoming 
5.1 	meetings, minutes of the authority's meetings, and contact telephone and fax numbers for 
5.2 	public comments.

5.3 	 Sec. 5. POWERS OF AUTHORITY.
 5.4 		 Subdivision 1.Actions. The authority may sue and be sued. The authority is a 
5.5 	public body and the ballpark and public infrastructure are public improvements within the 
5.6 	meaning of Minnesota Statutes, chapter 562.  The authority is a municipality within the 
5.7 	meaning of Minnesota Statutes, chapter 466.
5.8 		 Subd. 2.Acquisition of property. The authority may acquire from any public or 
5.9 	private entity by lease, purchase, gift, or devise all necessary right, title, and interest in and 
5.10 	to real or personal property deemed necessary to the purposes contemplated by this act.
5.11 		 Subd. 3.Property tax exemption; special assessments. Any real or personal 
5.12 	property acquired, owned, leased, controlled, used, or occupied by the authority or county 
5.13 	for any of the purposes of this act is declared to be acquired, owned, leased, controlled, 
5.14 	used, and occupied for public, governmental, and municipal purposes, and is exempt from 
5.15 	ad valorem taxation by the state or any political subdivision of the state; provided that the 
5.16 	properties are subject to special assessments levied by a political subdivision for a local 
5.17 	improvement in amounts proportionate to and not exceeding the special benefit received 
5.18 	by the properties from the improvement.  No possible use of any of the properties in any 
5.19 	manner different from their use under this act at the time may be considered in determining 
5.20 	the special benefit received by the properties.  Notwithstanding Minnesota Statutes, section 
5.21 	272.01, subdivision 2, or section 273.19, real or personal property leased by the authority 
5.22 	or county to another person for uses related to the purposes of this act, including the 
5.23 	operation of the ballpark and related parking facilities, is exempt from taxation regardless 
5.24 	of the length of the lease.  This subdivision, insofar as it provides an exemption or special 
5.25 	treatment, does not apply to any real property that is leased for residential, business, or 
5.26 	commercial development or other purposes different from those contemplated in this act.
5.27 		 Subd. 4.Data practices; open meetings. Except as otherwise provided in this act, 
5.28 	the authority is subject to Minnesota Statutes, chapters 13 and 13D.
5.29 		 Subd. 5.Facility operation. The authority may equip, improve, operate, manage, 
5.30 	maintain, and control the ballpark and related facilities constructed, remodeled, or 
5.31 	acquired under this act, subject to the rights and obligations transferred to and assumed by 
5.32 	the team or other user under the terms of a lease or use agreement.
5.33 		 Subd. 6.Disposition of property. The authority may sell, lease, or otherwise 
5.34 	dispose of any real or personal property acquired by it that is no longer required for 
5.35 	accomplishment of its purposes.  The property may be sold in accordance with the 
6.1 	procedures provided by Minnesota Statutes, section 469.065, except subdivisions 6 and 7, 
6.2 	to the extent the authority deems to be practical and consistent with this act. Title to the 
6.3 	ballpark shall not otherwise be transferred or sold without approval by the legislature.
6.4 		 Subd. 7.Employees; contracts for services. The authority may employ persons 
6.5 	and contract for services necessary to carry out its functions, including the utilization of 
6.6 	employees and consultants retained by other governmental entities.  The authority may 
6.7 	employ on the terms it deems advisable persons or firms to provide peace officers to direct 
6.8 	traffic on property under the control of the authority and on the city streets in the general 
6.9 	area of the property controlled by the authority.
6.10 		 Subd. 8.Gifts and grants. The authority may accept monetary contributions, 
6.11 	property, services, and grants or loans of money or other property from the United States, 
6.12 	the state, any subdivision of the state, any agency of those entities, or any person for any 
6.13 	of its purposes, and may enter into any agreement required in connection with them.  The 
6.14 	authority shall hold, use, and dispose of the money, property, or services according to the 
6.15 	terms of the monetary contributions, grant, loan, or agreement.
6.16 		 Subd. 9.Research. The authority may conduct research studies and programs; 
6.17 	collect and analyze data; prepare reports, maps, charts, and tables; and conduct all 
6.18 	necessary hearings and investigations in connection with its functions.
6.19 		 Subd. 10.Use agreements. The authority may lease, license, or enter into use 
6.20 	agreements and may fix, alter, charge, and collect rentals, fees, and charges for the use, 
6.21 	occupation, and availability of part or all of any premises, property, or facilities under 
6.22 	its ownership, operation, or control for purposes that will provide athletic, educational, 
6.23 	cultural, commercial, or other entertainment, instruction, or activity for the citizens of 
6.24 	Minnesota and visitors.  Any such use agreement may provide that the other contracting 
6.25 	party has exclusive use of the premises at the times agreed upon, as well as the right to 
6.26 	retain all revenues from ticket sales, suite licenses, concessions, advertising, naming 
6.27 	rights, and other revenues derived from the ballpark.  The lease or use agreement with a 
6.28 	team shall provide for the payment by the team of operating and maintenance costs and 
6.29 	expenses and provide other terms the authority and team agree to.
6.30 		 Subd. 11.Insurance. The authority may require any employee to obtain and 
6.31 	file with it an individual bond or fidelity insurance policy.  It may procure insurance in 
6.32 	the amounts it considers necessary against liability of the authority or its officers and 
6.33 	employees for personal injury or death and property damage or destruction, consistent 
6.34 	with Minnesota Statutes, chapter 466, and against risks of damage to or destruction of any 
6.35 	of its facilities, equipment, or other property.
7.1 		 Subd. 12.Exemption from council review; business subsidy act. The acquisition 
7.2 	and betterment of a ballpark by the authority must be conducted pursuant to this act and 
7.3 	are not subject to Minnesota Statutes, sections 473.165 and 473.173. Minnesota Statutes, 
7.4 	section 116J.994, does not apply to any transactions of the county, the authority, or other 
7.5 	governmental entity related to the ballpark or public infrastructure, or to any tenant or 
7.6 	other users of them.
7.7 		 Subd. 13.Local government action; environmental review.  Local governmental 
7.8 	units shall take action promptly and within project design and construction timetables on 
7.9 	applications for building permits and certificates of occupancy.  The county shall be the 
7.10 	responsible governmental unit for any environmental impact statement prepared under 
7.11 	Minnesota Statutes, section 116D.04.  Governmental units granted authority under this act 
7.12 	may make decisions and take actions to acquire land, obtain financing, and impose the tax 
7.13 	under section 7, prior to completion of environmental review.
7.14 		 Subd. 14.Contracts. The authority may enter into a development agreement with 
7.15 	the team, the county, or any other entity relating to the construction, financing, and 
7.16 	use of the ballpark and related facilities and public infrastructure.  The authority may 
7.17 	contract for materials, supplies, and equipment in accordance with Minnesota Statutes, 
7.18 	section 471.345, except that the authority, with the consent of the county, may employ 
7.19 	or contract with persons, firms, or corporations to perform one or more or all of the 
7.20 	functions of architect, engineer, or construction manager with respect to all or any part of 
7.21 	the ballpark and public infrastructure.  Alternatively, at the request of the team and with 
7.22 	the consent of the county, the authority shall authorize the team to provide for the design 
7.23 	and construction of the ballpark, subject to terms of this act.  The construction manager 
7.24 	may enter into contracts with contractors for labor, materials, supplies, and equipment 
7.25 	for the construction of the ballpark through the process of public bidding, except that the 
7.26 	construction manager may, with the consent of the authority or the team:
7.27 	 (1) narrow the listing of eligible bidders to those which the construction manager 
7.28 	determines to possess sufficient expertise to perform the intended functions;
7.29 	 (2) award contracts to the contractors that the construction manager determines 
7.30 	provide the best value, which are not required to be the lowest responsible bidder; and 
7.31 	 (3) for work the construction manager determines to be critical to the completion 
7.32 	schedule, award contracts on the basis of competitive proposals or perform work with 
7.33 	its own forces without soliciting competitive bids if the construction manager provides 
7.34 	evidence of competitive pricing.
7.35 	 The authority may require that the construction manager shall certify, before the contract 
7.36 	is finally signed, a certified, fixed, and stipulated construction price and completion date 
8.1 	to the authority and shall post a bond in an amount at least equal to 100 percent of the 
8.2 	certified price, to cover any costs, which may be incurred in excess of the certified price, 
8.3 	including but not limited to costs incurred by the authority or loss of revenues resulting 
8.4 	from incomplete construction on the completion date.  The authority may secure surety 
8.5 	bonds as provided in Minnesota Statutes, section 574.26, securing payment of just claims 
8.6 	in connection with all public work undertaken by it.  Persons entitled to the protection 
8.7 	of the bonds may enforce them as provided in Minnesota Statutes, sections 574.28 to 
8.8 	574.32, and shall not be entitled to a lien on any property of the authority under the 
8.9 	provisions of Minnesota Statutes, sections 514.01 to 514.16.  Contracts for construction 
8.10 	and operation of the ballpark must include programs to provide for participation by small, 
8.11 	local, women, and minority businesses, and the inclusion of women and people of color 
8.12 	in the workforces of contractors and ballpark operators.

8.13 	 Sec. 6. CRITERIA AND CONDITIONS.
 8.14 		 Subdivision 1.Binding and enforceable. In developing the ballpark and entering 
8.15 	into related contracts, the authority must follow and enforce the criteria and conditions in 
8.16 	subdivisions 2 to 14, provided that a determination by the authority that those criteria or 
8.17 	conditions have been met under any agreement or otherwise shall be conclusive.
8.18 		 Subd. 2.Team contributions. The team must agree to contribute $125,000,000 
8.19 	toward ballpark costs, less a proportionate share of any amount by which actual ballpark 
8.20 	costs may be less than a budgeted amount of $360,000,000.  The team contributions 
8.21 	must be funded in cash during the construction period.  In addition to any other team 
8.22 	contribution, the team must agree to assume and pay when due all cost overruns for the 
8.23 	ballpark costs that exceed the budget, excluding land, site improvements, and public 
8.24 	infrastructure.
8.25 		 Subd. 3.Reserve for capital improvements. The authority shall require that 
8.26 	a reserve fund for capital improvements to the stadium be established and funded with 
8.27 	annual team payments of $600,000 and annual payments from other sources of $1,400,000, 
8.28 	which annual payments shall increase according to an inflation index determined by the 
8.29 	authority.  The authority may accept contributions from the county or other source for the 
8.30 	portion of the funding not required to be provided by the team.
8.31 		 Subd. 4.Lease or use agreements. The authority and team must agree to a 
8.32 	long-term lease or use agreement with the team for its use of the ballpark.  The team 
8.33 	must agree to play all regularly scheduled and postseason home games at the ballpark. 
8.34 	Preseason games may also be scheduled and played at the ballpark.  The lease or use 
8.35 	agreement must be for a term of at least 30 years from the date of ballpark completion. 
9.1 	The lease or use agreement must include terms for default, termination, and breach of the 
9.2 	agreement.  Recognizing that the presence of major league baseball provides to Hennepin 
9.3 	County, the state of Minnesota, and its citizens highly valued, intangible benefits that 
9.4 	are virtually impossible to quantify and, therefore, not recoverable in the event of a 
9.5 	team owner's breach of contract, the lease and use agreements must provide for specific 
9.6 	performance and injunctive relief to enforce provisions relating to use of the ballpark for 
9.7 	major league baseball and must not include escape clauses or buyout provisions.
9.8 		 Subd. 5.Notice requirement for certain events. Until 30 years from the date 
9.9 	of ballpark completion, the team must provide written notice to the authority not less 
9.10 	than 90 days prior to any action, including any action imposed upon the team by Major 
9.11 	League Baseball, which would result in a breach or default of provisions of the lease 
9.12 	or use agreements required to be included under subdivision 4.  If this notice provision 
9.13 	is violated and the team has already breached or been in default under the required 
9.14 	provisions, the authority, the county, or the state of Minnesota is authorized to specifically 
9.15 	enforce the lease or use agreement, and Minnesota courts are authorized and directed to 
9.16 	fashion equitable remedies so that the team may fulfill the conditions of the lease and use 
9.17 	agreements, including, but not limited to, remedies against Major League Baseball.
9.18 		 Subd. 6.Enforceable financial commitments. The authority must determine before 
9.19 	ballpark construction begins that all public and private funding sources for construction 
9.20 	and operation of the ballpark are included in written agreements. The committed funds 
9.21 	must be adequate to design, construct, furnish, and equip the ballpark.
9.22 		 Subd. 7.Community ownership option. (a) The lease or use agreement for the 
9.23 	ballpark must provide that if the owner of the team seeks to sell the team during the term 
9.24 	of the agreement, the owner must provide a right of first refusal to a corporation formed to 
9.25 	provide community ownership of the team.
9.26 	 (b) A corporation formed to exercise a right of first refusal must comply with major 
9.27 	league baseball ownership rules. To the extent consistent with those rules, no person may 
9.28 	own more than 35 percent of the common stock of the corporation, and at least 50 percent 
9.29 	of the ownership of the common stock must be sold so that no person or entity owns more 
9.30 	than one percent. The corporation must include a class of preferred stock.  The articles of 
9.31 	incorporation, bylaws, and other governing documents of the corporation must provide 
9.32 	that the team may not move outside of the state or agree to voluntary contraction without 
9.33 	approval of at least 75 percent of the shares of common stock and at least 75 percent of 
9.34 	the shares of preferred stock. Notwithstanding any law to the contrary, these 75 percent 
9.35 	approval requirements must not be amended by the shareholders or by any other means.
10.1 		 Subd. 8.Environmental requirements. The authority must comply with all 
10.2 	environmental requirements imposed by regulatory agencies for the ballpark, site, and 
10.3 	structure.
10.4 		 Subd. 9.Public share upon sale of team. The lease or use agreement must 
10.5 	provide that, if the team is sold after the effective date of this act, a portion of the sale 
10.6 	price must be paid to the authority and deposited in a reserve fund for improvements to 
10.7 	the ballpark or expended as the authority may otherwise direct.  The portion required to 
10.8 	be so paid to the authority is 18 percent of the gross sale price, declining to zero ten 
10.9 	years after commencement of ballpark construction in increments of 1.8 percent each 
10.10 	year.  The agreement shall provide exceptions for sales to members of the owner's family 
10.11 	and entities and trusts beneficially owned by family members, sales to employees of 
10.12 	equity interests aggregating up to ten percent, and sales related to capital infusions not 
10.13 	distributed to the owners.
10.14 		 Subd. 10.Access to books and records. The authority must seek a provision in 
10.15 	the lease or use agreement that provides the authority access to annual audited financial 
10.16 	statements of the team and other financial books and records that the authority deems 
10.17 	necessary to determine compliance by the team with this act and to enforce the terms 
10.18 	of any lease or use agreements entered into under this act.  Any financial information 
10.19 	obtained by the authority under this subdivision is nonpublic data under Minnesota 
10.20 	Statutes, section 13.02, subdivision 9.
10.21 		 Subd. 11.Affordable access. To the extent determined by the authority or required 
10.22 	by a grant agreement, any lease or use agreement must provide for affordable access to the 
10.23 	professional sporting events held in the ballpark.
10.24 		 Subd. 12.No strikes; lockouts. The authority must use its best efforts to negotiate a 
10.25 	public sector project labor agreement or other agreement to prevent strikes and lockouts 
10.26 	that would halt, delay, or impede construction of the ballpark and related facilities.
10.27 		 Subd. 13.Youth and amateur sports. The lease or use agreement must require that 
10.28 	the team provide or cause to be provided $250,000 annually for the term of the agreement 
10.29 	for youth activities and amateur sports without reducing the amounts otherwise normally 
10.30 	provided for and on behalf of the team for those purposes.  The amount shall increase 
10.31 	according to an inflation factor not to exceed 2.5 percent annually and may be subject to a 
10.32 	condition that the county fund grants for similar purposes as authorized by this act.
10.33 		 Subd. 14.Name retention. The lease or use agreement must provide that the 
10.34 	team and league will transfer to the state of Minnesota the Minnesota Twins' heritage 
10.35 	and records, including the name, logo, colors, history, playing records, trophies and 
10.36 	memorabilia in the event of any dissolution or relocation of the Twins franchise.

11.1 	 Sec. 7. COUNTY ACTIVITIES; BONDS; TAXES.
 11.2 		 Subdivision 1.Activities; contracts. The county may authorize, by resolution, and 
11.3 	make one or more grants to the authority for ballpark development and construction, 
11.4 	public infrastructure, reserves for capital improvements, operating expenses, and other 
11.5 	purposes related to the ballpark on the terms and conditions agreed to by the county and 
11.6 	the authority.
11.7 	 The amount that the county may grant or expend for ballpark costs shall not exceed 
11.8 	$235,000,000.  The amount of any grant for capital improvement reserves shall not 
11.9 	exceed $1,400,000 annually, subject to annual increases according to an inflation index 
11.10 	acceptable to the county.  This act does not limit the amount of grants or expenditures 
11.11 	for land, site improvements, and public infrastructure.  Such agreements are valid and 
11.12 	enforceable notwithstanding that they involve payments in future years and they do not 
11.13 	constitute a debt of the county within the meaning of any constitutional or statutory 
11.14 	limitation or for which a referendum is required.  The county may acquire land, air rights, 
11.15 	and other property interests within the development area for the ballpark site and public 
11.16 	infrastructure and convey it to the authority with or without consideration, prepare a site 
11.17 	for development as a ballpark, and acquire and construct any related public infrastructure. 
11.18 	The county may review and approve ballpark designs, plans, and specifications to the 
11.19 	extent provided in a grant agreement and in order to ensure that the public purposes of 
11.20 	the grant are carried out.  Public infrastructure designs must optimize area transit and 
11.21 	bicycle opportunities, including connections to existing trails.  The county may enforce the 
11.22 	provisions of any grant agreement by specific performance.  Except to require compliance 
11.23 	with the conditions of the grant, the county has no interest in or claim to any assets or 
11.24 	revenues of the authority.  The county may initiate an environmental impact statement as 
11.25 	the responsible governmental unit under Minnesota Statutes, section 116D.04, and conduct 
11.26 	other studies and tests necessary to evaluate the suitability of the ballpark site.  The county 
11.27 	has all powers necessary or convenient for those purposes and may enter into any contract 
11.28 	for those purposes.  The county may reimburse a local governmental entity within its 
11.29 	jurisdiction or make a grant to such a governmental unit for site acquisition, preparation of 
11.30 	the site for ballpark development, and public infrastructure.  Amounts expended by a local 
11.31 	governmental unit with the proceeds of a grant or in expectation of reimbursement by the 
11.32 	county shall not be deemed an expenditure or other use of local governmental resources 
11.33 	by the governmental unit within the meaning of any law or charter limitation.  Exercise by 
11.34 	the county of its powers under this section shall not affect the amounts that the county is 
11.35 	otherwise eligible to spend, tax, or receive under any law.
12.1 	 It is the intent of the legislature that, except as expressly limited herein, the county 
12.2 	has the authority to acquire and develop a site for the ballpark, to enter into contracts 
12.3 	with the authority and other governmental entities, to appropriate funds, and to make 
12.4 	employees, consultants, and other revenues available for those purposes.  The county may 
12.5 	exercise for those purposes all the powers of a city, a housing and redevelopment authority, 
12.6 	a port authority, a community development agency, and an economic development 
12.7 	authority notwithstanding any limitations on the powers of those entities with respect to 
12.8 	the development of sports facilities buildings designed or used primarily for professional 
12.9 	sports.
12.10 		 Subd. 2.County revenue bonds. The county may, by resolution, authorize, sell, 
12.11 	and issue revenue bonds to provide funds to make a grant to the authority and to finance 
12.12 	all or a portion of the costs of site acquisition, site improvements and other activities 
12.13 	necessary to prepare a site for development of a stadium, and to acquire and construct 
12.14 	any related parking facilities and other public infrastructure.  The county may also, by 
12.15 	resolution, issue bonds to refund the bonds issued pursuant to this section.  The bonds must 
12.16 	be limited obligations, payable solely from or secured by taxes levied under subdivision 3, 
12.17 	and any other revenues to become available under this act.  The bonds may be issued in 
12.18 	one or more series and sold without an election.  The bonds shall be sold in the manner 
12.19 	provided by Minnesota Statutes, section 475.60.  The bonds shall be secured, bear 
12.20 	the interest rate or rates or a variable rate, have the rank or priority, be executed in the 
12.21 	manner, be payable in the manner, mature, and be subject to the defaults, redemptions, 
12.22 	repurchases, tender options, or other terms, as the county may determine.  The county may 
12.23 	enter into and perform all contracts deemed necessary or desirable by it to issue and 
12.24 	secure the bonds, including an indenture of trust with a trustee within or without the state. 
12.25 	The debt represented by the bonds shall not be included in computing any debt limitation 
12.26 	applicable to the county.  Subject to this subdivision, the bonds must be issued and sold in 
12.27 	the manner provided in Minnesota Statutes, chapter 475.  The bonds shall recite that they 
12.28 	are issued under this act and the recital shall be conclusive as to the validity of the bonds 
12.29 	and the imposition and pledge of the taxes levied for their payment.  In anticipation of the 
12.30 	issuance of the bonds authorized under this subdivision and the collection of taxes levied 
12.31 	under subdivision 3, the county may provide funds for the purposes authorized by this act 
12.32 	through interfund loans from other available funds of the county.
12.33 		 Subd. 3.Sales and use tax. (a) Notwithstanding Minnesota Statutes, section 
12.34 	477A.016, or any other law, the governing body of the county may, by ordinance, impose 
12.35 	an additional sales tax at a rate not to exceed 0.15 percent on sales taxable under Minnesota 
12.36 	Statutes, chapter 297A, that occur within the county, and may also, by ordinance, impose 
13.1 	a compensating use tax at a rate not to exceed 0.15 percent on uses of property within 
13.2 	the county, the sale of which would be subject to the additional sales tax but for the fact 
13.3 	that the property was sold outside the county.  For purposes of this subdivision, sales that 
13.4 	occur within the county do not include sales that would be exempt pursuant to Minnesota 
13.5 	Statutes, section 297A.68, subdivision 11, 15, or 16, if the name of the county were 
13.6 	substituted for the words "state," "the state," or "Minnesota." 
13.7 	 (b) The tax authorized under this act is exempt from Minnesota Statutes, section 
13.8 	297A.99, subdivisions 2 and 3.
13.9 	 (c) The tax must be dedicated to the purposes described in this act and terminates 
13.10 	upon payment or provision for payment of all bonds issued under subdivision 2 and 
13.11 	the payment or provision for payment of all obligations of the county under any grant 
13.12 	agreements or funding commitments entered into pursuant to this act.
13.13 	 (d) To the extent not inconsistent with this act, the provisions of Minnesota Statutes, 
13.14 	sections 297A.95; 297A.96; 297A.98; and 297A.99, subdivisions 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 
13.15 	and 12, apply to the tax.
13.16 	 (e) The tax shall not be included in determining the amount of sales tax that may be 
13.17 	imposed on lodging in the city of Minneapolis for purposes of the limitation contained 
13.18 	in Laws 1986, chapter 396, section 5, or in determining the amount of tax that may be 
13.19 	imposed under any other limitation.
13.20 	 (f) In the event of any amendment to Minnesota Statutes, chapter 297A, enacted 
13.21 	subsequent to the effective date of this act that exempts sales or uses that were taxable 
13.22 	under Minnesota Statutes, chapter 297A, on the effective date of this act, the county may, 
13.23 	by ordinance, extend the tax authorized hereby to any such sales or uses, provided that the 
13.24 	governing body shall have determined that such extension is necessary to provide revenues 
13.25 	for the uses to which taxes may be applied under this section and further provided that, 
13.26 	in the estimation of the governing body, the aggregate annual collections following such 
13.27 	extension will not exceed the aggregate annual collections that would have been generated 
13.28 	if Minnesota Statutes, chapter 297A, as in effect on the effective date of this act, were 
13.29 	then in effect.  Any bonds issued in accordance with this act may, with the consent of the 
13.30 	governing body, contain a covenant that the tax will be so extended to the extent necessary 
13.31 	to pay principal and interest on the bonds when due.
13.32 		 Subd. 4.Uses of taxes. Revenues received from the tax imposed under subdivision 
13.33 	3 may be used:
13.34 	 (1) to pay costs of collection;
13.35 	 (2) to pay or secure the payment of any principal of, premium, or interest on bonds 
13.36 	issued in accordance with this act;
14.1 	 (3) to pay costs and make grants described in subdivision 1, including financing 
14.2 	costs related to them; and 
14.3 	 (4) to maintain reserves for the foregoing purposes deemed reasonable and 
14.4 	appropriate by the county.

14.5 	 Sec. 8. RAILROAD AUTHORITY CONVEYANCE.
 14.6 	 At the request of the authority, the Hennepin County Regional Railroad Authority 
14.7 	shall convey land it owns within the development area that is not currently used for rail 
14.8 	purposes to the authority without charge for use in connection with the ballpark and 
14.9 	public infrastructure.

14.10 	 Sec. 9. CITY REQUIREMENTS.
 14.11 		 Subdivision 1.Third avenue. At the request of the authority, the city of 
14.12 	Minneapolis shall vacate the portion of Third Avenue North from Seventh Street North to 
14.13 	the intersection of Third Avenue North and the on-ramp to marked Interstate Highway 394 
14.14 	without impeding on-ramp access.
14.15 		 Subd. 2.Land conveyance. At the request of the authority, the city of Minneapolis 
14.16 	shall convey to the authority without charge all real property it owns that is located in the 
14.17 	development area and is not currently used for road, sidewalk, or utility purposes and that 
14.18 	the authority determines to be necessary for ballpark or public infrastructure purposes.
14.19 		 Subd. 3.Liquor licenses. The city of Minneapolis shall issue intoxicating liquor 
14.20 	licenses that are reasonably requested for the premises of the ballpark.  These licenses 
14.21 	are in addition to the number authorized by law.  All provisions of Minnesota Statutes, 
14.22 	chapter 340A, not inconsistent with this section apply to the licenses authorized under 
14.23 	this subdivision.
14.24 		 Subd. 4.Charter limitations. Actions taken by the city of Minneapolis under this 
14.25 	section shall not be deemed to be an expenditure or other use of city resources within the 
14.26 	meaning of any charter limitation.

14.27 	 Sec. 10. LOCAL TAXES.
 14.28 	 Sales of admissions to baseball events at the ballpark are exempt from sales and use 
14.29 	taxes imposed by local units of government, notwithstanding any law or ordinance.  No 
14.30 	local unit of government shall impose a new or additional tax on sales or uses of any item 
14.31 	that is not in effect for the ballpark site on the date of enactment of this act, except taxes 
14.32 	generally applicable throughout the jurisdiction.

15.1 	 Sec. 11. REPEALER.
 15.2 	 Minnesota Statutes 2004, sections 473I.01; 473I.02; 473I.03; 473I.04; 473I.05; 
15.3 	473I.06; 473I.07; 473I.08; 473I.09; 473I.10; 473I.11; 473I.12; and 473I.13, are repealed.

15.4 	 Sec. 12. EFFECTIVE DATES.
 15.5 	 Sections 1 to 6 and 8 to 11 are effective the day following final enactment.  Section 7 
15.6 	is effective the day after the governing body of Hennepin County and its chief clerical 
15.7 	officer timely complete their compliance with Minnesota Statutes, section 645.021, 
15.8 	subdivisions 2 and 3.