Rochester Mayor Vetoes Recent Actions Taken by City Council for Rochester Sports Complex

Rochester, MN (KROC-AM News)- Rochester Mayor Kim Norton has vetoed the latest actions taken by the city council on the future Rochester Regional Sports complex. 

Read More: Rochester City Council Moves Forward on New Sports Complex 

It’s the 11th and 12th vetoes Mayor Norton has issued since she began serving in the role in 2018. 

In 2023, Rochester voters approved the use of $65 million in city sales tax revenues to help fund construction of a regional sports and recreation complex. 

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Earlier this year, the city approved purchasing a plot of land east of the Shoppes on Maine in southeast Rochester to build the facility. 

The Rochester City Council members approved two agenda items regarding the sports complex during their final scheduled meeting of 2025. 

One item awarded a nearly $28 million contract to Knutson Construction of Rochester to build the new sports facility, approved a budget of more than $24 million for the purchase of tax-exempt materials needed for the project and using $1.7 million from sales tax–supported economic vitality dollars to prevent cutting amenities included in the complex’s design. 

The other item vetoed by Mayor Norton was a resolution to enter into an operator agreement for the sports complex with Sports Academy. The City has spent $7.7 million on planning and land acquisition so far. 

Rochester Mayo Kim Norton Explains Veto of Approved Agenda Items for Rochester Sports Complex

“I firmly believe, the majority view of the public with this veto,” Mayor Norton wrote in a note sent to the city council regarding the veto of the contract reward and material buy. 

Rochester’s Mayor criticized the lead up to the 2023 referendum vote, indicating the community was misled on what the $65 million in funding for the sports complex entailed. 

“At no point prior to the vote was it communicated publicly that an outdoor-only space, especially one designated for astroturf baseball diamonds in a SE Rochester township, was being proposed. This feels deceptive and has eroded trust with our community,” the veto note says. 

Mayor Norton also said she had concerns with the location chosen due to the city needing to expand water and sewer infrastructure in the area of the complex. 

See Also: Rochester Mayor Vetoes Council Plan to Aid Salvation Army 

The mayor wrote, “there is absolutely no need to rush this project.” She argues the project can be delayed and called on the city to collect as much sales tax revenue as possible and to have, “thoughtful planning done in the interim regarding the indoor and outdoor aspects promised to the community before we move forward.” 

Mayor Norton’s second veto was issued due to her vetoing the rewarding of a construction contract and approval of a budget to purchase materials. Both agenda items passed on 5-2 votes. 

A five-vote majority is required to override a mayor-issued veto. The Rochester City Council is scheduled to hold a special meeting on Monday, Dec. 22. 

Story updated to include special meeting of Rochester City Council