Minnesota Lawmakers Approve Vikings Stadium

Minnesota lawmakers approved plans for a nearly $1 billion stadium for the Vikings to keep the National Football League team in Minneapolis for at least another three decades.

 The proposed stadium, which would open in 2016, would be the fourth-most expensive NFL stadium ever. The construction bill to taxpayers, $498 million, would be the second biggest public subsidy for an NFL stadium, after the $620 million paid by Indiana taxpayers for the Indianapolis Colts stadium several years ago. 

The Vikings Stadium deal makes Minnesota, population 5.3 million, the latest small market to shell out big bucks for a major sports stadium.