Pawlenty, Bloomington mayor discuss Mall of America casino

The Associated Press

      ST. PAUL - Gov. Tim Pawlenty met with the mayor of Bloomington last month to discuss opening a partially state-run casino at the Mall of America, the governor's spokesman said Tuesday.

      Lawyers for the mall's owners also met recently with the Bloomington City Council to discuss the same possibility.

      "I think we're open to what people have to say," said Maureen Bausch, the mall's vice president for business development. "I certainly understand why it makes sense. We're the number one tourist destination in the Midwest, and we certainly have the land."

      The casino, which could include a resort and other amenities, would likely be located across the street from the mall at the former site of Met Center, Bausch said.

      The Ghermezian family, which helped build Mall of America and recently regained a controlling interest, also own the West Edmonton Mall in Edmonton, Canada, which includes a casino.

      Pawlenty's spokesman, Brian McClung, stressed that the governor has met with several local officials around the Twin Cities in recent weeks to discuss his casino proposal. It would be a partnership between the state and several northern Minnesota Indian tribes that don't currently own casinos.

      "I would caution people not to read too much into the fact that the governor has met with anybody," McClung said, adding that Pawlenty has also met with officials in the Anoka area.

      McClung also said Pawlenty would not support building a casino in any community that doesn't want one.

      Pawlenty suggested last year that the Minnesota's casino-owning tribes should give the state a share of their profits in order to retain their casino monopoly, an idea roundly rejected by tribal leaders. Since then, Pawlenty has increasingly spoken in favor of the state-tribal partnership, which could include the White Earth, Red Lake and Leech Lake tribes.

      The governor said in his State of the State speech Tuesday that he expected to release a proposal sometime in the next few weeks.

      Bloomington Mayor Gene Winstead did not immediately return a call seeking comment. State Rep. Dan Larson, DFL-Bloomington, whose district includes the Mall of America, said city officials are worried that a casino would put a strain on resources while not benefiting the city financially.

      "I'm not morally opposed to gambling, but I think there are a lot of concerns with dropping a casino down in the middle of a major metropolitan area," Larson said.