MSHSL uses Target Field and U.S. Bank Stadium for free.
MINNEAPOLIS — A report from the Minnesota Legislative Auditor’s Office shows the Minnesota State High School League is calling for lower rental prices for the venues they use to host tournaments.
The auditor’s office is encouraging lawmakers to take a closer look at the use of Minnesota’s stadiums, KSTP-TV reported.
Some venues don’t charge the league at all. This year, there are no costs for using Target Field or the U.S. Bank Stadium.
“When the legislation passed that authorized the creation of the Vikings stadium, the legislation said the State High School League could not be billed for use of that stadium,” said Joel Alter, director of special reviews at the auditor’s office.
Four major venues charge the league different amounts.
For fiscal year 2017, the league will pay more than $1 million for events at Xcel Energy Center, more than $460,000 to use various University of Minnesota facilities, nearly $400,000 to use Target Center and $4,000 to use CHS Field.
“The High School League is certainly of the opinion that they should have either free access or lower cost access to the facilities,” Alter said.
A university spokesman says the school would be burdened with the cost of hosting high school tournaments if it allowed the league to have free access.
“The University is a public institution and asking any public institution to provide services at no cost simply shifts those costs elsewhere,” university officials said in a statement.
Rep. Sarah Anderson, R-Plymouth, said the Legislature should give more guidance to the different facilities on how to handle high school sports.