KTTC Rochester, Austin, Mason City News, Weather and SportsElectronic pull tabs among options for stadium funding

Electronic pull tabs among options for stadium funding

ROCHESTER, Minn. (KTTC) -- The push for a new Vikings stadium in the Twin Cities remains in limbo. Republican House Majority Leader Kurt Zellers says he doesn't want a special session this year for the project.  Now that Governor Dayton has said "no" to a local sales tax to help fund a new stadium, different options are being discussed.

Eliminating the local sales tax to fund a new home for the Vikings leaves a 350 million dollar hole in the budget.  Aside from Racinos, the idea of electronic pull tabs are beginning to receive some recognition.

Electronic pull tabs are essentially the combination of your normal pull tab card and a video slot machine.

But instead of tearing back the tabs, you can tap the touch screen and it will have the same effect. 

But is gaming stable enough for funding?

Sen. Dave Senjem says, "certainly gaming will ebb and flow a little bit but certainly, in my view at least, it will certainly be there to pay these kinds of obligations."

General Manager of Broadway Bar & Pizza in Rochester, Kelly Navistky, supports funding a new stadium with gaming options.

Broadway Bar and Pizza already has pull tabs, but like the rest of the state, it's not the electronic type.  "It brings out the people who like to gamble and there aren't many places here in Rochester who have pull tabs," says Navitsky.

Governor Dayton believes electronic pull tabs have the broadest support in the legislature.