ST. PAUL – Following a recent report detailing how two executives from the Minnesota Sports Facilities Authority (MSFA) have been treating high-profile Democrats – including commissioners, elected officials, and staff – to free tickets in luxury suites at U.S. Bank Stadium, State Representative Peggy Scott, R-Andover, and State Representative-Elect Regina Barr, R-Inver Grove Heights, called on the MFSA and Governor Dayton to take action at a press conference Thursday morning.
“Minnesotans deserve transparency from their government, and the lack of it being shown by the MFSA is truly shocking,” Scott said. "There are serious legal and ethical questions about whether MSFA board members should even be legally allowed to attend games in these suites. MSFA Board Members and Executive Staff are explicitly subject to the public official ban on gifts from lobbyists and companies who lobby state government. Until this matter is resolved, they should immediately suspend use of the two luxury suites, beginning with tonight's game against Dallas." Scott is the Chair of the House Civil Law and Data Practices Committee.
“If no political games are being played, then there is no reason for secrecy,” Barr said. “Hardworking Minnesotans are paying for this stadium and they deserve to know who is benefiting from it behind the scenes. The Stadium Authority should release the full, unredacted list of any individuals who attended games in the MSFA suites.”
To date, the MFSA has refused to release a full list of who attended Vikings games in the new U.S. Bank Stadium, and only disclosed a small list of DFL officials who had attended previous games, and claim the attendee list is not subject to public disclosure laws.
Scott and Barr say they plan to introduce legislation during the upcoming session to increase transparency, disclosure, and accountability for the MFSA.
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