1.1 	A bill for an act
1.2 	relating to a ballpark for major league baseball;
1.3 	providing a state policy for professional sports
1.4 	facilities; providing for the financing, construction,
1.5 	operation, and maintenance of the ballpark and related
1.6 	facilities; establishing the Minnesota Ballpark
1.7 	Authority; authorizing Hennepin County to issue bonds
1.8 	and to contribute to ballpark costs and to engage in
1.9 	ballpark and related activities; requiring some
1.10 	incremental revenue from a new sports facility to be
1.11 	paid to certain public bodies; authorizing local sales
1.12 	and use taxes and revenues; requiring actions by the
1.13 	state, the city of Minneapolis, and the Hennepin
1.14 	County Regional Railroad Authority; proposing coding
1.15 	for new law in Minnesota Statutes, chapter 473;
1.16 	repealing Minnesota Statutes 2004, sections 473I.01;
1.17 	473I.02; 473I.03; 473I.04; 473I.05; 473I.06; 473I.07;
1.18 	473I.08; 473I.09; 473I.10; 473I.11; 473I.12; 473I.13.
1.19 	BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF MINNESOTA:

1.20 	Section 1. [473.5996] NEW SPORTS FACILITIES; INCREMENTAL
1.21 	REVENUE.
1.22 	A professional sports franchise using a sports facility
1.23 	financed with public funds must pay to the public body that
1.24 	financed the sports facility all incremental revenue generated
1.25 	from the facility in direct proportion to the amount the public
1.26 	expenditures, including the expenditures for public
1.27 	infrastructure made in conjunction with the facility, relate to
1.28 	the complete cost of the facility.  For the purposes of this
1.29 	section, "incremental revenue" means the difference between the
1.30 	amount of revenue the team received in the last year the team
1.31 	played in the previous facility and the first year in the new
1.32 	publicly financed facility for the following items:
2.1 	(1) tickets;
2.2 	(2) club seats;
2.3 	(3) private suites;
2.4 	(4) naming rights;
2.5 	(5) in-stadium advertising;
2.6 	(6) concession revenue; and 
2.7 	(7) revenue from private seat licenses.

2.8 	Sec. 2. POLICY; PROFESSIONAL SPORTS FACILITIES.
 2.9 	When public funds are expended for professional sports
2.10 	facilities, taxpayers are subsidizing a private business venture
2.11 	and the public deserves to receive the financial gains from its
2.12 	portion of the funds invested.  Consequently, it is the policy
2.13 	of the state of Minnesota that a professional sports franchise
2.14 	using a sports facility financed with public funds must pay to
2.15 	the public body that financed the sports facility all
2.16 	incremental increases in revenue generated from the facility in
2.17 	direct proportion to the amount the public expenditures,
2.18 	including the expenditures for public infrastructure made in
2.19 	conjunction with the facility, relate to the complete cost of
2.20 	the facility.

2.21 	Sec. 3. CONSTRUCTION OF HENNEPIN COUNTY BALLPARK.
 2.22 		Subdivision 1.Location. The ballpark must be located in
2.23 	the city of Minneapolis at a site within the development area.
2.24 		Subd. 2.Definitions. As used in this act, the following
2.25 	terms have the meanings given in this subdivision:
2.26 	(a) "Authority" means the Minnesota Ballpark Authority
2.27 	established under section 2.
2.28 	(b) "Ballpark" means the stadium suitable for major league
2.29 	baseball to be constructed and financed under this act.
2.30 	(c) "Ballpark costs" means, unless the context otherwise
2.31 	indicates, the cost of designing, constructing, and equipping a
2.32 	ballpark suitable for major league baseball.  Ballpark costs
2.33 	include public infrastructure, capital improvement reserves,
2.34 	bond reserves, capitalized interest, and financing costs.
2.35 	(d) "County" means Hennepin County.
2.36 	(e) "Development area" means the area in the city of
3.1 	Minneapolis bounded by marked Interstate Highway 394, vacated
3.2 	Holden Street, the Burlington Northern right-of-way, Seventh
3.3 	Street North, Sixth Avenue North, and Fifth Street North.
3.4 	(f) "Public infrastructure" means all property, facilities,
3.5 	and improvements determined by the authority or the county to
3.6 	facilitate the development and use of the ballpark, whether or
3.7 	not located in the development area, including, but not limited
3.8 	to, property and improvements for drainage, environmental
3.9 	remediation, parking, roadways, walkways, skyways, pedestrian
3.10 	bridges, bicycle paths, and transit improvements to facilitate
3.11 	public access to the ballpark, lighting, landscaping, utilities,
3.12 	streets, and land acquired and prepared for private
3.13 	redevelopment in a manner related to the use of the ballpark.
3.14 	(g) "Team" means the owner and operator of the baseball
3.15 	team currently known as the Minnesota Twins.
3.16 	(h) "Metrodome" has the meaning provided by Minnesota
3.17 	Statutes, section 473.551, subdivision 9.
3.18 	(i) "Public body" means the state of Minnesota, a county,
3.19 	statutory or home rule charter city, metropolitan agency, or
3.20 	county regional railroad authority.

3.21 	Sec. 4. MINNESOTA BALLPARK AUTHORITY.
 3.22 		Subdivision 1.Establishment. To achieve the purposes of
3.23 	this act, the Minnesota Ballpark Authority is established as a
3.24 	public body, corporate and politic, and political subdivision of
3.25 	the state.  The authority is not a joint powers entity or an
3.26 	agency or instrumentality of the county.  The authority may
3.27 	acquire title to all land, air rights, and other interests in
3.28 	real property needed for construction and operation of the
3.29 	ballpark and related facilities.  The authority may enter into
3.30 	contracts for and take all actions necessary or desirable to
3.31 	design, construct, furnish, equip, and provide for the
3.32 	operation, maintenance, and improvement of the ballpark and
3.33 	related facilities, and has all powers necessary or incidental
3.34 	to those actions.
3.35 		Subd. 2.Composition. (a) The Minnesota Ballpark
3.36 	Authority shall be governed by a commission consisting of:
4.1 	(1) two members appointed by the governor;
4.2 	(2) two members, including the chair, appointed by the
4.3 	county board; and 
4.4 	(3) one member appointed by the governing body of the city
4.5 	of Minneapolis.
4.6 	(b) All members appointed under paragraph (a), clause (1),
4.7 	serve at the pleasure of the governor.  All members appointed
4.8 	under paragraph (a), clause (2), serve at the pleasure of the
4.9 	county board.  The member appointed under paragraph (a), clause
4.10 	(3), serves at the pleasure of the governing body of the city of
4.11 	Minneapolis.
4.12 		Subd. 3.Chair. The chair shall preside at all meetings
4.13 	of the commission, if present, and shall perform all other
4.14 	assigned duties and functions.  The commission may appoint from
4.15 	among its members a vice chair to act for the chair during the
4.16 	temporary absence or disability of the chair.
4.17 		Subd. 4.Bylaws. The authority shall adopt bylaws to
4.18 	establish rules of procedure, the powers and duties of its
4.19 	officers, and other matters relating to the governance of the
4.20 	authority and the exercise of its powers.

4.21 	Sec. 5. POWERS OF AUTHORITY.
 4.22 		Subdivision 1.General. The authority has all powers
4.23 	necessary or convenient to accomplish the purposes of this act,
4.24 	including, but not limited to, those specified in this section.
4.25 		Subd. 2.Actions. The authority may sue and be sued.
4.26 	The authority is a public body and the ballpark and public
4.27 	infrastructure are public improvements within the meaning of
4.28 	Minnesota Statutes, chapter 562.  The authority is a
4.29 	municipality within the meaning of Minnesota Statutes, chapter
4.30 	466.
4.31 		Subd. 3.Acquisition of property. The authority may
4.32 	acquire from any public or private entity by lease, purchase,
4.33 	condemnation, gift, or devise all necessary right, title, and
4.34 	interest in and to real or personal property deemed necessary to
4.35 	the purposes contemplated by this act.
4.36 		Subd. 4.Data practices; open meetings. Except as
5.1 	otherwise provided in this act, the authority is subject to
5.2 	Minnesota Statutes, chapters 13 and 13D.
5.3 		Subd. 5.Facility operation. The authority may equip,
5.4 	improve, operate, manage, maintain, and control the ballpark and
5.5 	related facilities constructed, remodeled, or acquired under
5.6 	this act, subject to the rights and obligations transferred to
5.7 	and assumed by the team or other user under the terms of a lease
5.8 	or use agreement.
5.9 		Subd. 6.Disposition of property. The authority may
5.10 	sell, lease, or otherwise dispose of any real or personal
5.11 	property acquired by it that is no longer required for
5.12 	accomplishment of its purposes.  The property may be sold in
5.13 	accordance with the procedures provided by Minnesota Statutes,
5.14 	section 469.065, except subdivisions 6 and 7, to the extent the
5.15 	authority deems to be practical and consistent with this act.
5.16 	Title to the ballpark shall not otherwise be transferred or sold
5.17 	without approval by the legislature.
5.18 		Subd. 7.Employees; contracts for services. The
5.19 	authority may employ persons and contract for services necessary
5.20 	to carry out its functions, including the utilization of
5.21 	employees and consultants retained by other governmental
5.22 	entities.  The authority may employ on the terms it deems
5.23 	advisable persons or firms to provide traffic officers to direct
5.24 	traffic on property under the control of the authority and on
5.25 	the city streets in the general area of the property controlled
5.26 	by the authority.
5.27 		Subd. 8.Gifts and grants. The authority may accept
5.28 	monetary contributions, property, services, and grants or loans
5.29 	of money or other property from any person for any of its
5.30 	purposes, and may enter into any agreement required in
5.31 	connection with them.  The authority shall hold, use, and
5.32 	dispose of the money, property, or services according to the
5.33 	terms of the monetary contributions, grant, loan, or agreement.
5.34 		Subd. 9.Research. The authority may conduct research
5.35 	studies and programs, collect and analyze data, prepare reports,
5.36 	maps, charts, and tables, and conduct all necessary hearings and
6.1 	investigations in connection with its functions.
6.2 		Subd. 10.Use agreements. The authority may lease,
6.3 	license, or enter into use agreements and may fix, alter,
6.4 	charge, and collect rentals, fees, and charges for the use,
6.5 	occupation, and availability of part or all of any premises,
6.6 	property, or facilities under its ownership, operation, or
6.7 	control for purposes that will provide athletic, educational,
6.8 	cultural, commercial, or other entertainment, instruction, or
6.9 	activity for the citizens of Minnesota and visitors.  Any such
6.10 	use agreement may provide that the other contracting party has
6.11 	exclusive use of the premises at the times agreed upon, as well
6.12 	as the right to retain all revenues from ticket sales, suite
6.13 	licenses, concessions, advertising, naming rights, and other
6.14 	revenues derived from the ballpark other than the proportional
6.15 	share of incremental revenue distributed to public bodies under
6.16 	section 6, subdivision 13.  The lease or use agreement with a
6.17 	team shall provide for the payment by the team of operating and
6.18 	maintenance costs and expenses and provide other terms the
6.19 	authority and team agree to.
6.20 		Subd. 11.Insurance. The authority may require any
6.21 	employee to obtain and file with it an individual bond or
6.22 	fidelity insurance policy.  It may procure insurance in the
6.23 	amounts it considers necessary against liability of the
6.24 	authority or its officers and employees for personal injury or
6.25 	death and property damage or destruction, consistent with
6.26 	Minnesota Statutes, chapter 466, and against risks of damage to
6.27 	or destruction of any of its facilities, equipment, or other
6.28 	property.
6.29 		Subd. 12.Exemption from council review; business subsidy
6.30 	act. The acquisition and betterment of a ballpark by the
6.31 	authority must be conducted pursuant to this act and are not
6.32 	subject to Minnesota Statutes, sections 473.165 and 473.173.
6.33 	Minnesota Statutes, section 116J.994, does not apply to any
6.34 	transactions of the county, the authority, or other governmental
6.35 	entity related to the ballpark or public infrastructure, or to
6.36 	any tenant or other users of them.
7.1 		Subd. 13.Local government action. Local governmental
7.2 	units shall take action promptly and within project design and
7.3 	construction timetables on applications for building permits and
7.4 	certificates of occupancy.  The county shall be the responsible
7.5 	governmental unit for any environmental impact statement
7.6 	prepared under Minnesota Statutes, section 116D.04.
7.7 	Governmental units granted authority under this act may make
7.8 	decisions and take actions to acquire land, obtain financing,
7.9 	and impose the tax under section 7, prior to completion of
7.10 	environmental review.
7.11 		Subd. 14.Contracts. The authority may enter into a
7.12 	development agreement with the team, the county, or any other
7.13 	entity relating to the construction, financing, and use of the
7.14 	ballpark and related facilities and public infrastructure.  The
7.15 	authority may contract for materials, supplies, and equipment in
7.16 	accordance with Minnesota Statutes, section 471.345, except that
7.17 	the authority, with the consent of the county, may employ or
7.18 	contract with persons, firms, or corporations to perform one or
7.19 	more or all of the functions of architect, engineer, or
7.20 	construction manager with respect to all or any part of the
7.21 	ballpark and public infrastructure.  Alternatively, at the
7.22 	request of the team and with the consent of the county, the
7.23 	authority shall authorize the team to provide for the design and
7.24 	construction of the ballpark, subject to terms of this act.  The
7.25 	construction manager may enter into contracts with contractors
7.26 	for labor, materials, supplies, and equipment for the
7.27 	construction of the ballpark through the process of public
7.28 	bidding, except that the construction manager may, with the
7.29 	consent of the authority or the team:
7.30 	(1) narrow the listing of eligible bidders to those which
7.31 	the construction manager determines to possess sufficient
7.32 	expertise to perform the intended functions;
7.33 	(2) award contracts to the contractors that the
7.34 	construction manager determines provide the best value, which
7.35 	are not required to be the lowest responsible bidder; and 
7.36 	(3) for work the construction manager determines to be
8.1 	critical to the completion schedule, award contracts on the
8.2 	basis of competitive proposals, or perform work with its own
8.3 	forces without soliciting competitive bids if the construction
8.4 	manager provides evidence of competitive pricing.
8.5 	The authority may require that the construction manager shall
8.6 	certify, before the contract is finally signed, a certified,
8.7 	fixed, and stipulated construction price and completion date to
8.8 	the authority and shall post a bond in an amount at least equal
8.9 	to 100 percent of the certified price to cover any costs which
8.10 	may be incurred in excess of the certified price, including, but
8.11 	not limited to, costs incurred by the authority or loss of
8.12 	revenues resulting from incomplete construction on the
8.13 	completion date.  The authority may secure surety bonds as
8.14 	provided in Minnesota Statutes, section 574.26, securing payment
8.15 	of just claims in connection with all public work undertaken by
8.16 	it.  Persons entitled to the protection of the bonds may enforce
8.17 	them as provided in Minnesota Statutes, sections 574.28 to
8.18 	574.32, and shall not be entitled to a lien on any property of
8.19 	the authority under the provisions of Minnesota Statutes,
8.20 	sections 514.01 to 514.16.  Contracts for construction and
8.21 	operation of the ballpark must include programs to provide for
8.22 	participation by small, local, women, and minority businesses,
8.23 	and the inclusion of women and people of color in the workforces
8.24 	of contractors and ballpark operators.

8.25 	Sec. 6. CRITERIA AND CONDITIONS.
 8.26 		Subdivision 1.Binding and enforceable. In developing
8.27 	the ballpark and entering into related contracts, the authority
8.28 	must follow and enforce the criteria and conditions in section
8.29 	5, subdivisions 2 to 12, provided that a determination by the
8.30 	authority that those criteria or conditions have been met under
8.31 	any agreement or otherwise shall be conclusive.
8.32 		Subd. 2.Team contributions. The team must agree to
8.33 	contribute $125,000,000 toward ballpark costs, less a
8.34 	proportionate share of any amount by which actual ballpark costs
8.35 	may be less than a budgeted amount of $360,000,000.  The team
8.36 	contributions must be funded in cash during the construction
9.1 	period.  In addition to any other team contribution, the team
9.2 	must agree to assume and pay when due all cost overruns for the
9.3 	ballpark costs that exceed the budget, excluding land, site
9.4 	improvements, and public infrastructure.
9.5 		Subd. 3.Reserve for capital improvements. The authority
9.6 	shall require that a reserve fund for capital improvements to
9.7 	the stadium be established and funded with annual team payments
9.8 	of $600,000 and annual payments from other sources of
9.9 	$1,400,000.  The annual team payments and annual payments from
9.10 	other sources shall increase according to an inflation index
9.11 	determined by the authority.  The authority may accept
9.12 	contributions from the county or other source for the portion of
9.13 	the funding not required to be provided by the team.
9.14 		Subd. 4.Lease or use agreements. The authority and team
9.15 	must agree to a long-term lease or use agreement with the team
9.16 	for its use of the ballpark.  The team must agree to play all
9.17 	regularly scheduled and postseason home games at the ballpark.
9.18 	Preseason games may also be scheduled and played at the
9.19 	ballpark.  The lease or use agreement must be for a term of at
9.20 	least 30 years from the date of ballpark completion.  The lease
9.21 	or use agreement must include terms for default, termination,
9.22 	and breach of the agreement.  Recognizing that the presence of
9.23 	major league baseball provides to Hennepin County, the state of
9.24 	Minnesota, and to its citizens, highly valued, intangible
9.25 	benefits that are virtually impossible to quantify and,
9.26 	therefore, not recoverable in the event of a team owner's breach
9.27 	of contract, the lease and use agreements must provide for
9.28 	specific performance and injunctive relief to enforce provisions
9.29 	relating to use of the ballpark for major league baseball and
9.30 	must not include escape clauses or buyout provisions.
9.31 		Subd. 5.Notice requirement for certain events. Until 30
9.32 	years from the date of ballpark completion, the team must
9.33 	provide written notice to the authority not less than 90 days
9.34 	prior to any action, including any action imposed upon the team
9.35 	by major league baseball, which would result in a breach or
9.36 	default of provisions of the lease or use agreements required to
10.1 	be included under subdivision 4.  If this notice provision is
10.2 	violated and the team has already breached or been in default
10.3 	under the required provisions, the authority, the county, or the
10.4 	state of Minnesota is authorized to specifically enforce the
10.5 	lease or use agreement, and Minnesota courts are authorized and
10.6 	directed to fashion equitable remedies so that the team may
10.7 	fulfill the conditions of the lease and use agreements,
10.8 	including, but not limited to, remedies against major league
10.9 	baseball.
10.10 		Subd. 6.Enforceable financial commitments. The
10.11 	authority must determine before ballpark construction begins
10.12 	that all public and private funding sources for construction and
10.13 	operation of the ballpark are included in written agreements.
10.14 	The committed funds must be adequate to design, construct,
10.15 	furnish, and equip the ballpark.
10.16 		Subd. 7.Environmental requirements. The authority must
10.17 	ensure that environmental requirements imposed by regulatory
10.18 	agencies for the ballpark, site, and structure are complied with.
10.19 		Subd. 8.Public share upon sale of team. The lease or
10.20 	use agreement must provide that, if the team is sold after the
10.21 	effective date of this act, a portion of the sale price must be
10.22 	paid to the authority and deposited in a reserve fund for
10.23 	improvements to the ballpark or expended as the authority may
10.24 	otherwise direct.  The portion required to be so paid to the
10.25 	authority is 18 percent of the gross sale price, declining to
10.26 	zero ten years after commencement of ballpark construction in
10.27 	increments of 1.8 percent each year.  The agreement shall
10.28 	provide exceptions for sales to members of the owner's family
10.29 	and entities and trusts beneficially owned by family members,
10.30 	sales to employees of equity interests aggregating up to ten
10.31 	percent, and sales related to capital infusions not distributed
10.32 	to the owners.
10.33 		Subd. 9.Access to books and records. The authority must
10.34 	seek a provision in the lease or use agreement that provides the
10.35 	authority access to annual audited financial statements of the
10.36 	team and other financial books and records that the authority
11.1 	deems necessary to determine compliance by the team with this
11.2 	act and to enforce the terms of any lease or use agreements
11.3 	entered into under this act.  Any financial information obtained
11.4 	by the authority under this subdivision is nonpublic data under
11.5 	Minnesota Statutes, section 13.02, subdivision 9.
11.6 		Subd. 10.Affordable access. To the extent determined by
11.7 	the authority or required by a grant agreement, any lease or use
11.8 	agreement must provide for affordable access to the professional
11.9 	sporting events held in the ballpark.
11.10 		Subd. 11.No strikes; lockouts. The authority must use
11.11 	its best efforts to negotiate a public sector project labor
11.12 	agreement or other agreement to prevent strikes and lockouts
11.13 	that would halt, delay, or impede construction of the ballpark
11.14 	and related facilities.
11.15 		Subd. 12.Youth and amateur sports. The lease or use
11.16 	agreement must require that the team provide or cause to be
11.17 	provided $250,000 annually for the term of the agreement for
11.18 	youth activities and amateur sports without reducing the amounts
11.19 	otherwise normally provided for and on behalf of the team for
11.20 	those purposes.  The amount shall increase according to an
11.21 	inflation factor not to exceed 2.5 percent annually and may be
11.22 	subject to a condition that the county fund grants for similar
11.23 	purposes as authorized by this act.
11.24 		Subd. 13.Incremental revenue. The lease or use
11.25 	agreement must provide that all incremental revenue from the
11.26 	ballpark must be paid to the authority and deposited in a
11.27 	special fund to be paid to each public body that provided a
11.28 	public subsidy in proportion to the amount that the public body
11.29 	expended in relation to the ballpark costs.  For the purposes of
11.30 	this subdivision, the amount expended by a public body includes
11.31 	the cost of public infrastructure, and "incremental revenue"
11.32 	means the difference between the amount of revenue the team
11.33 	received in the last year the team played in the Metrodome and
11.34 	the first year in the ballpark for the following items:
11.35 	(1) tickets;
11.36 	(2) club seats;
12.1 	(3) private suites;
12.2 	(4) naming rights;
12.3 	(5) in-stadium advertising;
12.4 	(6) concession revenue; and 
12.5 	(7) onetime revenue from private seat licenses.
12.6 	Every public body making an expenditure for the ballpark must
12.7 	provide the authority with the amount of public funds it
12.8 	expended for the ballpark, and the team must comply with
12.9 	subdivision 9 to enable the authority to make the determination
12.10 	required by this subdivision.

12.11 	Sec. 7. COUNTY ACTIVITIES; BONDS; TAXES.
 12.12 		Subdivision 1.Activities; contracts. The county may
12.13 	authorize, by resolution, and make one or more grants to the
12.14 	authority for ballpark development and construction, public
12.15 	infrastructure, reserves for capital improvements, operating
12.16 	expenses, and other purposes related to the ballpark on the
12.17 	terms and conditions agreed to by the county and the authority.
12.18 	To the extent funds are available from collections of the tax
12.19 	authorized by subdivision 3 after payment each year of debt
12.20 	service on the bonds authorized and issued under subdivision 2
12.21 	and payments for the purposes described in the preceding
12.22 	sentence, the county may also:
12.23 	(1) authorize, by resolution, and expend or make grants to
12.24 	the authority and to other governmental units and nonprofit
12.25 	organizations in an aggregate amount of up to $2,000,000
12.26 	annually, increased by up to 2.5 percent annually, for youth
12.27 	activities and amateur sports; and 
12.28 	(2) authorize, by resolution, to expend up to $2,000,000
12.29 	annually to fund the cost of extending the hours of operation of
12.30 	county libraries and Minneapolis Public Libraries.
12.31 	The amount that the county may grant or expend for ballpark
12.32 	costs shall not exceed $235,000,000.  The amount of any grant
12.33 	for capital improvement reserves shall not exceed $1,400,000
12.34 	annually, subject to annual increases according to an inflation
12.35 	index acceptable to the county.  This act does not limit the
12.36 	amount of grants or expenditures for land, site improvements,
13.1 	and public infrastructure.  Such agreements are valid and
13.2 	enforceable notwithstanding that they involve payments in future
13.3 	years and they do not constitute a debt of the county within the
13.4 	meaning of any constitutional or statutory limitation or for
13.5 	which a referendum is required.  The county may acquire land,
13.6 	air rights, and other property interests within the development
13.7 	area for the ballpark site and public infrastructure and convey
13.8 	it to the authority with or without consideration, prepare a
13.9 	site for development as a ballpark, and acquire and construct
13.10 	any related public infrastructure.  The county may review and
13.11 	approve ballpark designs, plans, and specifications to the
13.12 	extent provided in a grant agreement and in order to ensure that
13.13 	the public purposes of the grant are carried out.  Public
13.14 	infrastructure designs must optimize area transit and bicycle
13.15 	opportunities, including connections to existing trails.  The
13.16 	county may enforce the provisions of any grant agreement by
13.17 	specific performance.  Except as provided in section 1 or to
13.18 	require compliance with the conditions of the grant, the county
13.19 	has no interest in or claim to any assets or revenues of the
13.20 	authority.  The county may initiate an environmental impact
13.21 	statement as the responsible governmental unit under Minnesota
13.22 	Statutes, section 116D.04, and conduct other studies and tests
13.23 	necessary to evaluate the suitability of the ballpark site.  The
13.24 	county has all powers necessary or convenient for those purposes
13.25 	and may enter into any contract for those purposes.  The county
13.26 	may reimburse a local governmental entity within its
13.27 	jurisdiction or make a grant to such a governmental unit for
13.28 	site acquisition, preparation of the site for ballpark
13.29 	development, and public infrastructure.  Amounts expended by a
13.30 	local governmental unit with the proceeds of a grant or in
13.31 	expectation of reimbursement by the county shall not be deemed
13.32 	an expenditure or other use of local governmental resources by
13.33 	the governmental unit within the meaning of any law or charter
13.34 	limitation.  Exercise by the county of its powers under this
13.35 	section shall not affect the amounts that the county is
13.36 	otherwise eligible to spend, tax, or receive under any law.
14.1 	It is the intent of the legislature that, except as
14.2 	expressly limited herein, the county has the authority to
14.3 	acquire and develop a site for the ballpark, to enter into
14.4 	contracts with the authority and other governmental entities, to
14.5 	appropriate funds, and to make employees, consultants, and other
14.6 	revenues available for those purposes.  The county may exercise
14.7 	for those purposes all the powers of a city, a housing and
14.8 	redevelopment authority, a port authority, a community
14.9 	development agency, and an economic development authority
14.10 	notwithstanding any limitations on the powers of those entities
14.11 	with respect to the development of sports facilities buildings
14.12 	designed or used primarily for professional sports.
14.13 		Subd. 2.County revenue bonds. The county may, by
14.14 	resolution, authorize, sell, and issue revenue bonds to provide
14.15 	funds to make a grant to the authority and to finance all or a
14.16 	portion of the costs of site acquisition, site improvements, and
14.17 	other activities necessary to prepare a site for development of
14.18 	a stadium, and to acquire and construct any related parking
14.19 	facilities and other public infrastructure.  The county may
14.20 	also, by resolution, issue bonds to refund the bonds issued
14.21 	pursuant to this section.  The bonds must be limited
14.22 	obligations, payable solely from or secured by taxes levied
14.23 	under subdivision 3, and any other revenues to become available
14.24 	under this act.  The bonds may be issued in one or more series
14.25 	and sold without an election.  The bonds shall be sold in the
14.26 	manner provided by Minnesota Statutes, section 475.60.  The
14.27 	bonds shall be secured, bear the interest rate or rates or a
14.28 	variable rate, have the rank or priority, be executed in the
14.29 	manner, be payable in the manner, mature, and be subject to the
14.30 	defaults, redemptions, repurchases, tender options, or other
14.31 	terms, as the county may determine.  The county may enter into
14.32 	and perform all contracts deemed necessary or desirable by it to
14.33 	issue and secure the bonds, including an indenture of trust with
14.34 	a trustee within or without the state.  The debt represented by
14.35 	the bonds shall not be included in computing any debt limitation
14.36 	applicable to the county.  Subject to this subdivision, the
15.1 	bonds must be issued and sold in the manner provided in
15.2 	Minnesota Statutes, chapter 475.  The bonds shall recite that
15.3 	they are issued under this act and the recital shall be
15.4 	conclusive as to the validity of the bonds and the imposition
15.5 	and pledge of the taxes levied for their payment.  In
15.6 	anticipation of the issuance of the bonds authorized under this
15.7 	subdivision and the collection of taxes levied under subdivision
15.8 	3, the county may provide funds for the purposes authorized by
15.9 	this act through interfund loans from other available funds of
15.10 	the county.  Notwithstanding any other law to the contrary,
15.11 	interest paid on bonds issued under this subdivision are not
15.12 	exempt from the tax imposed under Minnesota Statutes, chapter
15.13 	290.
15.14 		Subd. 3.Sales and use tax. (a) Notwithstanding
15.15 	Minnesota Statutes, section 447A.016, or any other law, the
15.16 	governing body of the county may, by ordinance, impose an
15.17 	additional sales tax at a rate not to exceed 0.15 percent on
15.18 	sales taxable under Minnesota Statutes, chapter 297A, that occur
15.19 	within the county, and may also, by ordinance, impose a
15.20 	compensating use tax at a rate not to exceed 0.15 percent on
15.21 	uses of property within the county, the sale of which would be
15.22 	subject to the additional sales tax but for the fact that the
15.23 	property was sold outside the county.  For purposes of this
15.24 	subdivision, sales that occur within the county do not include
15.25 	sales that would be exempt pursuant to Minnesota Statutes,
15.26 	section 297A.68, subdivision 11, 15, or 16, if the name of the
15.27 	county were substituted for the words "state," "the state," or
15.28 	"Minnesota." 
15.29 	(b) The tax must be dedicated to the purposes described in
15.30 	this act, and terminates upon payment or provision for payment
15.31 	of all bonds issued under subdivision 2 and the payment or
15.32 	provision for payment of all obligations of the county under any
15.33 	grant agreements or funding commitments entered into pursuant to
15.34 	this act, but no later than 32 years after the date of issuance
15.35 	of bonds under subdivision 2.
15.36 	(c) To the extent not inconsistent with this act, the
16.1 	provisions of Minnesota Statutes, sections 297A.95; 297A.96;
16.2 	297A.98; and 297A.99, subdivisions 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, and
16.3 	12, apply to the tax.
16.4 	(d) The tax shall not be included in determining the amount
16.5 	of sales tax that may be imposed on lodging in the city of
16.6 	Minneapolis for purposes of the limitation contained in Laws
16.7 	1986, chapter 396, section 5, or in determining the amount of
16.8 	tax that may be imposed under any other limitation.
16.9 		Subd. 4.Uses of taxes. Revenues received from the tax
16.10 	imposed under subdivision 3 may be used:
16.11 	(1) to pay costs of collection;
16.12 	(2) to pay or secure the payment of any principal of,
16.13 	premium, or interest on bonds issued in accordance with this
16.14 	act;
16.15 	(3) to pay costs and make grants described in subdivision
16.16 	1, including financing costs related to them; and 
16.17 	(4) to maintain reserves for the foregoing purposes deemed
16.18 	reasonable and appropriate by the county.

16.19 	Sec. 8. STATE RESPONSIBILITIES.
 16.20 		Subdivision 1.Land and air rights conveyance. The
16.21 	state, including the commissioner of transportation, shall
16.22 	convey to the authority free of charge all real property owned
16.23 	by the state within the development area that the authority or
16.24 	county determines to be necessary for the ballpark and public
16.25 	infrastructure, except property required for current highway
16.26 	purposes.  The state shall also convey air rights and other
16.27 	rights to enable the authority to construct a pedestrian bridge
16.28 	across marked Interstate Highway 394.
16.29 		Subd. 2.Tad ramps. The commissioner of transportation
16.30 	shall enter into an agreement with the city of Minneapolis to
16.31 	establish within the parking garages known as the Third Avenue
16.32 	Distributor ramps a system for at least 800 but not more than
16.33 	1,000 event parking passes permitting evening and weekend entry
16.34 	to designated areas for baseball events that the city shall sell
16.35 	to the authority or team at rates comparable to other event
16.36 	parking rates to be made available for baseball patrons.  This
17.1 	obligation of the commissioner of transportation and the city of
17.2 	Minneapolis and the operation of the system are subject to all
17.3 	regulations applicable to the garages.  Participation in such
17.4 	agreements by the city shall not, and the receipt of funds
17.5 	pursuant to such an agreement shall not, be treated as city
17.6 	resources within the meaning of any charter limitation.

17.7 	Sec. 9. RAILROAD AUTHORITY CONVEYANCE.
 17.8 	At the request of the authority, the Hennepin County
17.9 	Regional Railroad Authority shall convey land it owns within the
17.10 	development area that is not currently used for rail purposes to
17.11 	the authority for use in connection with the ballpark and public
17.12 	infrastructure.

17.13 	Sec. 10. CITY REQUIREMENTS.
 17.14 		Subdivision 1.Third avenue. At the request of the
17.15 	authority, the city of Minneapolis shall vacate the portion of
17.16 	Third Avenue North from Seventh Street North to the intersection
17.17 	of Third Avenue North and the on-ramp to Interstate Highway No.
17.18 	394 without impeding on-ramp access.
17.19 		Subd. 2.Land conveyance. At the request of the
17.20 	authority, the city of Minneapolis shall convey to the authority
17.21 	all real property it owns that is located in the development
17.22 	area and is not currently used for road, sidewalk, or utility
17.23 	purposes and that the authority determines to be necessary for
17.24 	ballpark or public infrastructure purposes.
17.25 		Subd. 3.Liquor licenses. The city of Minneapolis shall
17.26 	issue intoxicating liquor licenses that are reasonably requested
17.27 	for the premises of the ballpark.  These licenses are in
17.28 	addition to the number authorized by law.  All provisions of
17.29 	Minnesota Statutes, chapter 340A, not inconsistent with this
17.30 	section apply to the licenses authorized under this subdivision.
17.31 		Subd. 4.Charter limitations. Actions taken by the city
17.32 	of Minneapolis under this section shall not be deemed to be an
17.33 	expenditure or other use of city resources within the meaning of
17.34 	any charter limitation.

17.35 	Sec. 11. REPEALER.
 17.36 	Minnesota Statutes 2004, sections 473I.01; 473I.02;
18.1 	473I.03; 473I.04; 473I.05; 473I.06; 473I.07; 473I.08; 473I.09;
18.2 	473I.10; 473I.11; 473I.12; and 473I.13, are repealed.

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