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Panel: State should spend $241M renovation to renovate Capitol

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Jan 20, 2012 at 5:01 pm

ST. PAUL, Minn. (AP) - An advisory panel is calling for a $241 million renovation of the Minnesota Capitol building.

But members of the Capitol Preservation Commission did not recommend how to pay for the project. The report outlines scenarios using up to three bonding bills to cover the full cost.

The panel sent the report to the state Legislature Wednesday.

Republican Senate Majority Leader Dave Senjem tells Minnesota Public Radio News (http://bit.ly/wsmORw ) he's concerned about the estimated price tag.

Senjem says he'd prefer taking an incremental approach to the needed renovations.

Gov. Mark Dayton says the bonding proposal he'll unveil next week will not include the Capitol renovation. But Dayton says he hopes the Legislature considers at least part of the project during the 2012 session.

The Minnesota Capitol building opened in 1905.