Governor signs Gopher stadium bill

Legislature approves bonding bill, funding for U of M-Rochester

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Gov. Tim Pawlenty, a graduate of the University of Minnesota, signs the historic stadium bill into law as University President Robert Bruininks (far right) and legislators looked on.

May 24, 2006

In a joyous celebration Wednesday (May 24), Gov. Tim Pawlenty signed a long-awaited bill into law that will bring Minnesota football back to campus a quarter century after the Gophers moved to the Metrodome in 1982.

"The U is one of Minnesota's most important assets," Pawlenty said. "The new on-campus stadium will bring visibility and excitement that will benefit the U, our state and our citizens."

The celebration at the McNamara Alumni Center was attended by many of Minnesota's leading political leaders, including Sen. Majority Leader Dean Johnson and House Speaker Steve Sviggum, and the authors of the historic legislation, Sen. Larry Pogemiller (DFL-Mpls), Sen. Geoff Michel (R-Edina) and Rep. Ron Abrams (R-Minnetonka). Legendary coach Murray Warmath, who led the team to several Big Ten championships, also attended.

The bill signing came days after the House and Senate passed a bill May 20 that secures funding for a $248 million on-campus stadium. The bill passed by a 96-37 vote in the House and a 43-24 vote in the Senate. The University hopes to begin construction of the stadium this summer and finish in time for the 2009 season.

The stadium was the highest profile item of several pieces of legislation approved by the Legislature that benefit the University, including $115.7 million in funding for construction and renovation of several systemwide facilities, $5 million in funding for the University of Minnesota-Rochester and designation of the U-created Honeycrisp apple as the official state fruit. A few hours earlier on Wednesday in Bayport, the governor signed that bill into law.

In a session at times dominated by stadium debate, the stadium legislation for the Gophers was the first to pass, hours before a new stadium for the Minnesota Twins was also approved. It marked the end to a years-long search for the best solution to the stadium issue for the University, whose lease to play in the Metrodome expires in 2011.

"For years, we have been the only Big 10 school without an on-campus football stadium," said University President Robert Bruininks. "This new facility will have a huge positive impact on our football program, recruiting and all of our athletic programs."

The measure calls for the state to pay $10.25 million per year for 25 years--approximately 55 percent of the total stadium cost. As part of the legislation, the University will exchange 2,840 acres of undeveloped land in Dakota County with the state for future use as a metropolitan area nature preserve. The bill includes a naming-rights deal with TCF Financial Corp.; in exchange for $35 million the stadium will be named TCF Bank Stadium.

The University will also raise private funds and implement a student fee--up to a maximum of $25 per year--to pay for the rest of the stadium's costs.

"From the beginning, our plan has been hugely reliant upon private fundraising," said Bruininks. "Passing the legislature and being signed by the governor gives us enormous momentum to raise the dollars necessary to get this thing built. It's an exciting time at the U."

The Legislature also funded several other University requests and gave its official stamp of approval on University research that has benefited Minnesota consumers and apple growers.

Bonding

The Legislature approved $158.4 million for new projects at the University--with $115.7 million coming from state funding and $42.7 million from University financing.

The funding, which falls under the state bonding bill and now awaits the governor's signature, includes an expansion to the Carlson School of Management ($26.6 million), a new Labovitz School of Business and Economics on the Duluth campus ($15.3 million), a biomedical research building on the Twin Cities campus ($40 million), $3.5 million for the University's research and outreach centers ($500,000 for Cedar Creek, $500,000 for the Cloquet Forestry Center, and $2.5 million for the West Regional Outreach Center in Morris), and $300,000 for the Minnesota Poultry Testing Laboratory in Willmar. If Gov. Pawlenty signs the bonding bill, the University would also receive $30 million in Higher Education Asset Preservation and Replacement (HEAPR) funds, which are used for general repairs and maintenance projects.

Although the Legislature did not vote to create the nine-member Minnesota Biomedical Sciences Research Facilities Authority, which would allow $330 million in state general obligation debt to go toward building five new research buildings at the U over the next decade and enable Minnesota to compete with other states that have passed similar initiatives, the Legislature did recommend funding for a new biomedical research building at the University--$40 million that was included in the U's original bonding request.

Also pending Pawlenty's signature is $5 million to support academic programs at the University of Minnesota-Rochester. The funding, included in the supplemental appropriations bill, would go towards faculty, staff, and program planning and development in the areas of biomedical and computer technologies, engineering, health care administration, and allied health programs; ongoing operations of industrial liaison activities; and the operation of leased facilities.

Honeycrisp as Minnesota's official state fruit

The Honeycrisp apple developed by University researchers will now join the pantheon of official state symbols alongside the loon, walleye, and lady slipper flower.

A measure that would make the Honeycrisp--the crown jewel of the U's long-standing fruit-breeding program--the official state fruit has been approved by the Legislature and signed into law May 24.

"The popularity of Honeycrisp apples with both consumers and apple growers is another example of how innovative ideas from University of Minnesota faculty make a difference in Minnesota and the world," said Beverly Durgan, dean of the Minnesota Agricultural Experiment Station.

The University of Minnesota operates one of the oldest fruit-breeding programs in North America and the only such program in the Midwest. The Minnesota apple industry is based primarily on varieties developed by the University--an estimated 80 percent of the trees grown commercially in this state are varieties developed by the University. Millions of Honeycrisp trees are in production in Minnesota and throughout the world, including in New Zealand, South Africa and France's Loire Valley.

The Honeycrisp is now the second official state symbol with a University connection. The state song, Hail! Minnesota, was originally written by two University students in the early 1900s.

But when legislators couldn't agree on a state song, in 1945 the U gave "Hail! Minnesota" to the state. The words were changed to "Hail to thee our state so dear" from "Hail to thee our college dear."

The Honeycrisp bill was sponsored by Rep. Mike Charron (R-Woodbury) and Sen. Brian LeClair (R-Woodbury). To learn more, read "Minnesota--you know, the Honeycrisp State."

For more information about efforts to bring Gopher football back to campus, see Stadium. To learn more about the U's 2006 capital request, visit the U's State Relations.