Office of Governor Mark Dayton

& Lt. Governor Tina Smith

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
February 7, 2017

Contact: Sam Fettig

651-201-3408 office
612-214-2886 cell
sam.fettig@state.mn.us

Statement from Governor Dayton on Legislative

Auditor Report
ST. PAUL, MN Today, the Office of the Legislative Auditor released their findings
regarding the Minnesota Sports Facilities Authority (MSFA). The following is a statement
from Governor Mark Dayton.

I welcome the findings of the Office of the Legislative Auditor,

and the recommendations this report has provided. I am confident
the Minnesota Sports Facilities Authority (MSFA), its Chair, and its
Board will take care in responding to these recommendations, as
they work to uphold the highest standards of accountability and
public confidence in the stadiums operations.

Chair Michele Kelm-Helgen, Executive Director Ted Mondale,

their administrative team, and the MSFA Board have already
demonstrated their exceptional dedication and ability in
completing this world-class stadium. They built for the people of
Minnesota a multi-purpose stadium on-time and on-budget, while
employing over 7,000 workers, 39 percent of whom were
minorities.

The MSFAs successes have triggered over $1 billion in new

business investments and several thousand new jobs in East
Minneapolis. Today, the stadiums daily operations employ 3,000
people, 60 percent of whom are men and women of color. And one
year from now, the stadium will host the premiere international
event of the year: the Super Bowl, which is expected to bring
more than $400 million to Minnesota.

Nonetheless, I expect a handful of legislators will ignore these

accomplishments, and instead deride and impugn the dedicated
public officials who made these successes possible. Their
attempts to use this single episode to achieve their own political
objectives do nothing to benefit the stadiums operations or
advance the public good."

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Office of the Governor & Lt. Governor, Communications Department

130 State Capitol, 75 Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Blvd., St. Paul, MN 55155
T: 651-201-3400 | E: Dayton.Media@state.mn.us