Tent? Hotel? Hunt for special session venue underway

Last official day of session
Debate of the Omnibus Environment bill on the House floor on the last official day of session, Monday, May 18, 2015.
Glen Stubbe | StarTribune via AP

Lawmakers will likely be coming back to St. Paul for a special legislative session next month. But with the Capitol closed for renovation, state officials are looking for a place for them to meet.

Offers have come in from St. Paul College, the University of St. Thomas and the St. Paul Hotel.

Commissioner Matt Massman heads the state's Department of Administration and said his office is scouting out options.

"Certainly we will be in St. Paul, and we're looking at the tent option, as well as a number of entities that have contacted us of interest," he said. "But we're also really looking in the Capitol complex, around state facilities that are currently available to us. You know, the primary expectation will be meeting the functional needs of a legislative session."

Gov. Mark Dayton vetoed this year's education bill, and says he'll call lawmakers back to fix it. Talks with Republican House Speaker Kurt Daudt are expected to start next week.

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