The legislature finds that

Terms Used In Minnesota Statutes 473.552

  • area: means the area over which the Metropolitan Council has jurisdiction, including only the counties of Anoka; Carver; Dakota excluding the cities of Northfield and Cannon Falls; Hennepin excluding the cities of Hanover and Rockford; Ramsey; Scott excluding the city of New Prague; and Washington. See Minnesota Statutes 473.121
  • state: extends to and includes the District of Columbia and the several territories. See Minnesota Statutes 645.44

(a) the population in the metropolitan area has a need for sports facilities and that this need cannot be met adequately by the activities of individual municipalities, by agreements among municipalities, or by the private efforts of the people in the metropolitan area,

(b) the commission’s ownership and operation of the metrodome and met center has met in part the foregoing need and has promoted the economic and social interests of the metropolitan area, of the state, and of the public, and

(c) the commission’s acquisition of the basketball and hockey arena on the terms and conditions provided in sections 473.598 and 473.599 shall similarly and more fully meet the foregoing needs and promote these interests.

It is therefore necessary for the public health, safety and general welfare to establish a procedure for the acquisition and betterment of sports facilities and to create a Metropolitan Sports Facilities Commission.