House OKs Minnesota Vikings Stadium Bill; Holberg: No, Garofalo: Yes

After months of wrangling, the Minnesota House of Representatives passed the Vikings stadium bill Monday evening.

Rep. Mary Liz Holberg (R-District 36A), of , voted against the bill, but Rep. Pat Garofalo (R-District 36B), of Farmington, whose amendment significantly altered the bill, voted in favor.

Locally, Garofalo's GOP colleagues joined Holberg in opposition of the measure with Reps. Pam Myhra, Diane Anderson, Mark Buesgens, Tara Mack, Kurt Bills and Doug Wardlow all voting no.

The original bill called for $427 million from Vikings, $150 million from Minneapolis, $398 million from state via expansion of charitable gambling, to build the stadium. But Garofalo's amendment was overwhelmingly supported in the House, and calls for the Vikings to increase their contribution to $532 million, something the team says isn't workable.

But the Vikings said they are waiting for the to be voted on before judging.

As a result of the amendment, the state's share of the stadium cost dipped to $293 million, but the Senate version of the bill, which will be debated today, isn't likely to include the amendment.

On Twitter, Garofalo said the amendment "positions (the) bill well for conference committee negotiations."

That speaks to the liklihood that the . Once that happens, both the House and Senate versions will have to be reconciled in a conference committee before becoming law.

The bill passed the House 74-56, where it needed 68 to pass.