Today's Question Blog

Should Minneapolis give tax breaks to Minnesota United?

rogers
Minnesota United FC president Nick Rogers

The Minnesota United soccer team is waging a campaign for tax breaks to help pay for a new stadium in Minneapolis.  Mayor Betsy Hodges opposes waiving property tax breaks, saying

"If there were some other developer or some other project, who came to the city and said, 'we want to put a $250 million development at one of the places in the city that is most ripe for economic development, on which we expect to make a significant profit, and all we need is to never ever pay property taxes on the site of that development,' they would be laughed out of the city."

But many on the city council are open to the idea, including Barbara Johnson, council president.

"I think it's important for people to have many, many, many reasons to come to our city, including going to the theaters, including going to professional sports events," Johnson said. "We're a regional center. So if soccer's going happen, I want it to happen in my city."

Today's Question: Should Minneapolis extend property tax breaks to help Minnesota United build a new soccer stadium?