Minnesota Sports Facilities Authority

The Minnesota Sports Facilities Authority, the successor organization to the Metropolitan Sports Facilities Commission, is the entity created in 2012 by the Minnesota Legislature to control and operate U.S. Bank Stadium in Minneapolis. Three of its five members are appointed by the governor, with the remaining two being appointed by the mayor of Minneapolis.[1]

Minnesota Sports Facilities Authority
Official Logo
PredecessorMetropolitan Sports Facilities Commission
FormationMay 14, 2012 (2012-05-14)
TypePublic body
Executive Director
James Farstad
Chair
Michael Vekich
Parent organization
State of Minnesota
Websitewww.msfa.com

The members of the board consist of:

  • Michael Vekich chair (appointed by Governor) (term ends January 2, 2023)
  • Tony Sertich (appointed by Governor) (term ends December 31, 2019)
  • Angela Burns Finney (appointed by Governor) (term ends January 2, 2023)
  • Barbara Butts Williams (appointed by Mayor) (term ends December 31, 2019)
  • Bill McCarthy (appointed by Mayor) (term ends December 31, 2020)
  • Executive Director: James Farstad


On June 14, 2012, Governor Mark Dayton appointed Michele Kelm-Helgen as chair, along with Duane Benson (term end December 31, 2015) and John Griffith (term end December 31, 2016) to the board. Minneapolis Mayor R. T. Rybak appointed Barbara Butts Williams (term end December 31, 2015) and Bill McCarthy (term end December 31, 2016).[2] [3]The board named Ted Mondale as Executive Director on June 22, 2012. [4] Benson resigned in June 2015, citing conflict with Kelm-Helgen.[5] Dayton appointed Tony Sertich in August 2015.[6] Dayton declined to reappoint Griffith at the end of 2016.[7] He appointed former Minnesota Supreme Court Justice Kathleen Blatz on January 13, 2017 instead.[8]

On February 16, 2017 both Kelm-Helgen and Mondale resigned over use of U.S. Bank Stadium's suites by people with ties to the state's Democratic Party[9]. Gov. Dayton appointed Blatz as interim chair on February 23, 2017.[10] James Farstad servered as the interim Executive Director until Rick Evans was named Executive Director on March 10, 2017.[11] On July 13, 2017, Dayton appointed Michael Vekich as chair (term ends January 7, 2019) and Laura Bishop as board member (term ends December 31, 2020).[12] On November 17, 2017 Executive Director Rick Evans announced his retirement due to health reasons effective at the end of 2017. [13] At the December 15, 2017 board meeting, James Farstad was named interim Executive Director until a replacement was found.[14] On May 18, 2018 Farstad was named the permanent Executive Director. [15] Bishop left in January 2019 to take the position of commissioner of the Minnesota Pollution Control Agency.[16] Vekich was reappointed on February 22, 2019, by Governor Tim Walz[17] Angela Burns Finney was appointed by Gov. Walz September 2019[18]

References
  1. 2012 Minn. Laws Ch. 299
  2. http://www.mndaily.com/2012/06/14/dayton-rybak-appoint-stadium-authority
  3. https://www.minneapolis.org/media/news-releases/mayor-rybak-appoints-barbara-butts-williams-bill-mccarthy-minnesota-sports-/
  4. https://www.mprnews.org/story/2012/06/22/sports/stadium-authority-to-name-ceo-friday
  5. http://www.startribune.com/treasurer-duane-benson-quits-vikings-stadium-board-blasts-kelm-helgen/308448391/
  6. http://www.startribune.com/gov-dayton-appoints-tony-sertich-to-replace-duane-benson-on-sports-authority/320491392/
  7. http://www.startribune.com/critic-of-u-s-bank-stadium-management-structure-loses-appointment-to-board/402287425/
  8. http://www.startribune.com/former-minnesota-supreme-court-chief-justice-headed-to-u-s-bank-stadium-oversight-panel/410690155/
  9. http://www.twincities.com/2017/02/16/embattled-head-of-u-s-bank-stadium-authority-resigns-over-suite-issue/
  10. http://www.kare11.com/news/politics/kathleen-blatz-named-interim-msfa-chair/413374591
  11. http://minnesota.cbslocal.com/2017/03/10/msfa-names-rick-evans-new-ceo/
  12. http://www.startribune.com/dayton-names-new-chair-of-u-s-bank-stadium-oversight-board/434330633/
  13. http://www.startribune.com/director-of-u-s-bank-stadium-s-oversight-board-announces-retirement-citing-health-reasons/458258763/
  14. http://www.msfa.com/content/2017%20Minutes/December%20Minutes%20for%20Website.pdf
  15. http://www.startribune.com/interim-executive-director-wins-permanent-u-s-bank-stadium-job/483039521/
  16. https://www.mprnews.org/story/2019/01/04/new-environment-commissioners-talk-climate-change-water-quality
  17. https://www.msfa.com/detail.cfm/page/msfaSite_DMVCRSHB_DGVLLAUB/
  18. http://www.startribune.com/u-s-bank-stadium-authority-oks-60-pay-raise-for-chairman/561834622/
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