posted it on the Minnesota Politics and Issues Forum, but then I figured it
ought to be here. So, on Wednesday, Minnesota Sports Facilities Authority Chair
Michele Kelm-Helgen
appeared before the House Government Operations and Elections Policy
Committee. She gave a fifteen-plus minute presentation that was accompanied by
some technical snafus, leading to her closing her presentation with the comment
about the technical issues that appears below. Then she was asked to address
the stadium suites issue. Here is a complete transcript of her answer. With her
way too many references to the Ballpark Authority, to the Metrodome, and to
others, I think she still doesn't really get it. Here's the transcript:
MSFA Chair Michele Kelm-Helgen: ...And I apologize for our technical issues.
Committee Chair Representative Tim O'Driscoll: None of us can control
technology. Ms. Kelm-Helgen, thank you for your presentation. Because it was a
little disjointed and things, is there any comment that you'd like to make at
this point about some of the operational kinds of things that might have been
in the media? Those are some of the things that I know members had had some
questions. I want to give you a chance to first address those for the
committee, and that may help manage some of the questions.
Kelm-Helgen: When we talked about the sales and marketing, I had in my notes,
that if I had been following my presentation, I was going to talk about the
suites, which obviously have been in the media and have raised questions with
people.
So just historically, at the Metrodome we had three suites that were used by
the Stadium Commission, by the board members there. They were known; it was
something we had annual audits by the State Auditor every year. It was
essentially what they did there is, their two suites were used for basically
the Commissioners, similar to the way that the Ballpark Authority, the Twins
stadium suite is used. One of the suites was just given to an individual
Commissioner each event, if you will, and they would invite friends and family,
and that's essentially what the Ballpark Authority over at the Twins stadium
does with their suite. There has been an article from MinnPost that has talked
about -- and the Minneapolis Tribune -- that's talked about the Ballpark
Authority, and they said we basically based our suite policy in a similar way
to what had been done at the Metrodome. Because, of course, the Twins had
played at the Metrodome back when, along with the Minnesota Vikings. So, what
has happened in the state, generally speaking, has been, these suites have been
used more for friends and families of Commissioners, and that's what happens
essentially over at the Ballpark Authority today.
But what we decided to do is look at a much more focus sales and marketing
aspect that we would do because of the need that we had for filling the stadium
for these 350 days a year. And especially the focus we had on bringing these
big events -- the Final Four, the Super Bowl, the X Games. So we kind of had a
balance, we ended up in the new stadium -- and again, this was in our Use
Agreement and it was talked about -- with two suites rather than three. And
part of the reason that the history has been that there would be two suites is
the idea that you would have two suites that Commissioners could be split. So
even though they are essentially looked at as a social purpose, generally
speaking, during a game, it also was looked at, just to be on the safe side,
that if we could, to avoid any quorum issues, having two suites would help with
that as well. But it was more a case of we had three at the Metrodome -- that
was done -- it was decided obviously three were not needed, two would suffice.
And we never gave a great deal of detail or thought as to whether that was too
much, too many; it just was there was three at the Dome and now we had two.
So essentially the policy that we came up with was Commissioners could come,
they could bring limited friends and family, but the focus would be on sales
and marketing. And that's essentially what we did. And I will say, as we went
through this whole thing, I'm sure that -- I think the -- many people knew that
this is what was done at the Metrodome, this is what's done at the Ballpark
Authority, and this is what we were doing. But I do think it was not -- the
public probably was not aware, at least until all the articles came out, that
this is actually what was done. And for I'm sure a lot of different reasons,
it's like, okay, this is a new day, and I clearly heard and understood that
people did not support having friends and family in these suites, even though
that's what had been done at the Dome, and even though that's what's done at
Target Field, and it's done at the University of Minnesota, and, you know,
other places. But, I heard it, and we immediately addressed it at our next
board meeting. It clearly is from a messaging standpoint important to have the
public's trust on this. And I heard it, and we responded, and we now have a new
suite policy that most of you might have seen. If you haven't, we actually have
copies that we brought along of our new suite policy that essentially says the
focus will be on sales and marketing, but at this time Commissioners will not
bring any friends or family to the suites. And that's how we ended the year
once we realized the public reaction was negative. I certainly -- it's not
worth anyone having, losing faith in the Authority over an issue like this.
There are three Commissioners, myself included, that have our own tickets, have
had tickets for a long time, but that's not the issue. The issue is the public
didn't want to see people having friends and family in the suite, and we have
addressed that, and, moving forward, as I said, the last games we essentially
eliminated friends and family from the suites. And that is our new policy. I'm
assuming that -- we're waiting for the Legislative Auditor who's looking at
this, and we've talked to him about this. And my guess is that there could be