"For now, the fate of the Vikings new stadium in Minnesota still rides, at least partly, on racehorses.

A move in a state Senate committee to allow slot machines at the state's two horse tracks as an alternate way to finance the state's share of a new $975 million stadium in Minneapolis is sticking.

Even if supporters remove the provision, the primary financing mechanism — electronic pull-tabs and bingo — leaves gambling and an NFL stadium firmly linked.

"We decided that probably the only way we could fund this was to go through the route of gaming revenues." said bill sponsor, Morrie Lanning, R-Moorhead. The pull-tab plan is still the best bet for the project, he said."

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Tying together gambling, stadium a dicey prospect for lawmakers (Minnesota Public Radio 4/26)

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