HF 1875

as introduced - 87th Legislature (2011 - 2012) Posted on 01/24/2012 10:44am

A bill for an act
relating to state government; providing a process for protecting Minnesota's
interests in its professional football team.

BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF MINNESOTA:

Section 1. new text begin PURPOSE.
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new text begin The legislature determines that:
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new text begin (1) a professional football team is an important asset to the state of Minnesota, and
ensuring that a team remains in Minnesota is an important public purpose;
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new text begin (2) providing for a local ownership share of a professional football team or taking
other steps to ensure local control over the location of the team develops trust among fans,
taxpayers, and the team, and helps ensure this important asset will remain in the state; and
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new text begin (3) providing for a local ownership share or local control over the location of the
team ensures that financial benefits of any increased value of the team due to construction
of a new stadium will accrue in part to Minnesota.
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Sec. 2. new text begin ACQUISITION OF OWNERSHIP OR OTHER INTERESTS.
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new text begin The governor and the Metropolitan Sports Facilities Commission, in cooperation
with representatives of the National Football League, must attempt to facilitate an
arrangement under which there will be broad-based community ownership of Minnesota's
professional football team, or there will be other legal interests to ensure broad-based
Minnesota community participation and control in any decisions relating to location of the
team. The arrangement that the governor and the commission must attempt to facilitate
may involve:
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new text begin (1) community ownership authorized under current rules and policies of the National
Football League;
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new text begin (2) working with the National Football League to change its current rules and
policies as necessary to accomplish the purposes specified in section 1; or
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new text begin (3) development and implementation of a combination of ownership and
nonownership interests that will ensure broad-based participation by Minnesota residents
in decisions affecting the location of the team.
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Sec. 3. new text begin EFFECTIVE DATE.
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new text begin Sections 1 and 2 are effective the day following final enactment.
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