Like the other stadiums, the final decision would be up to the governor and legislature. Moreover, it depends on whether the governor and the legislature fund any stadiums at all.

The governor's stadium screening committee also decided that if Pawlenty and lawmakers choose to help the teams build stadiums, they should create an impartial entity to select sites and negotiate terms with the teams, based on financing criteria set by legislation. But if the committee and the legislature selected specific sites that could make it tougher to pass a bill, as legislators from communities that lost out would fight the bill.

The committee has received two strong baseball proposals: one in the Warehouse District of Downtown Minneapolis, the other across the street from Xcel Energy Center in Downtown St. Paul. As for the baseball sites, consultants testifying before the committee said both met the criteria for a good urban ballpark, but they acknowledged that Minneapolis likely is ahead of St. Paul on its time schedule because the city has an option on the land, currently a surface parking lot.

Though proposals for a Vikings stadium are not as developed, the committee believes the Blaine site, proposed by Anoka County, is strong enough to recommend, as is a less detailed proposal from Eden Prairie. Blaine and Anoka County offered to put up $240 million in local money toward a complex that they estimated would cost from $475 million to $650 million. The Vikings, however, have been vague about how much the team would invest in a stadium complex.

The committee also plans to decide whether a referendum should be held in the community or communities that would pay sales taxes for a stadium. Many on the committee seem to oppose a referendum, believing elected officials should decide the matter themselves.

Instant Insights /

Stadiums: Twin Cities for Baseball, Suburbs for Football

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