Minnesota House approves plan to build new Vikings stadium
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The Minnesota House on Monday night approved an amended plan to build a new $975 million stadium for the Vikings.
After more than eight hours of debate, the plan was passed with a 73-58 vote, the Pioneer Press reported.
The vote must now clear the Senate and will likely face negotiations between the House and Senate before another round of votes.
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Under the original proposal, unveiled by Gov. Mark Dayton in March, the Vikings would pay $427 million toward construction, while the state kicked in $398 million and the city of Minneapolis shouldered $150 million.
But the amended plan raises the Vikings' share to $532 million, and takes the state's share down by $105 million.
The Vikings, who have committed to playing in the Metrodome in 2012 even though the lease is expired, have long been rumored as a candidate to move to Los Angeles if the state does not move forward on a new stadium.
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The need for a new stadium became all the more evident in Dec. 2010 when part of the 30-year-old dome's roof collapsed under the weight of snow, though fortunately the building was empty at the time.