1976-5507r552
RESOLUTION NO. 5507
RESOLUTION RELATING TO PROFESSIONAL .SPORTS
FACILITIES IN THE TWIN CITY METROPOLITAN AREA
WHEREAS; the City of Richfield is one of the co-owners of the
Metropolitan Sports Area now operated by the Metropolitan Area Sports
Commission and
WHEREAS, the City of Richfield regards it as extremely important to
the welfare of the Metropolitan Area and the State of Minnesota to have new
or improved professional sports facilities so a s to be able to properly accommodate
and thus retain professional sports, and
WHEREAS, the City of Richfield has heretofore regarded the present
Metropolitan Sports Area as the most desirable location for any new or improved
professional sports facilities, end
WHEREAS, an alternative to this site known as "Industry Square" in the
City of Minneapolis has been proposed, and
WHEREAS, neither of these alternative sites has been able to secure the
necessary legislative support to authorize new or improved professional sports
facilities, and an impasse appears to have been reached on the matter of site
selection, and
WHEREAS, the Minnesota Vikings and the Minnesota Twins have indicated
a willingness to be located at either site.
NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED by the City Council of the City of
Richfield as follows:
1. The City Council strongly endorses the need for new or
improved professional sports facilities in the Metropolitan
Area .
2. The City Council believes that inadequate studies have been
made to determine the relative merits of the two proposed sites.
3. The City Council is, therefore, willing to support proposed
legislation providing for a truly impartial and objective .study
of the two alternative sites so as to avoid an impasse which
could result in the loss of professional baseball and football
from the Metropolitan Area .
4. Such study should include all direct costs as well as all
indirect costs such as freeway systems, utility relocation,
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Resolution No. 5507
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' parking facilities and transportation costs. It should also
include ' a study of environmental impact , and a marketing study
to determine the potential of each site to attract professional
sport fans throughout the Upper Midwest..
5. Any proposal to fund the construction of new or improved
professional sports facilities should include provision for re-
payment of all debt incurred to construct such facilities
primarily from the proceeds of special taxes and user fees.
Such funding sources should be of such a nature that they can
reasonably be expected to pay all operating expenses and
debt service costs of any such facilities.
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that a copy of this resolution should be sent
to Senator William Kirchner, Representative James Swanson, Representative
Shirley Hokanson, and such other members of the executive and legislative
branches of government of the State of Minnesota as the City Manager shall
deem appropriate.
Passed by the City Council of the City of Richfi
March, 1976.
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ATTEST:
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Thomas J . ~lVloran City Clerk
n L.
this 22nd day of
w ~ _ ~ Mayor
553