A proposed $20 million expansion of Mankato’s civic center complex may still be on schedule for funding in 2010 and construction soon thereafter, say city officials and area lawmakers.

The project appeared to suffer a legislative setback that would push the timetable back by two additional years when nearly $1 million in planning and design funding was line-item vetoed out of a bonding bill by Gov. Tim Pawlenty. Hopes of resurrecting the funding in a second bonding bill late in the session didn’t come to fruition either, and the Legislature isn’t expected to consider another major construction funding bill until 2010.

But Mankato was successful in getting authorization for a new entertainment tax into a final-day tax bill passed by the Legislature May 18. Mankato City Manager Pat Hentges said the new tax will free up revenue that can be used to cover the design costs.

That would allow the city to stick to its schedule of seeking construction funding from the Legislature as part of the 2010 bonding bill.

The first stage of the proposal is the construction of the Southern Minnesota Women’s Hockey Exposition Center — a facility that would be located across Riverfront Drive from the Alltel Center and connected by a skyway. The new building would include an 1,800-seat hockey arena that would serve as the home of the Minnesota State University women’s team and as a practice rink for the MSU men’s team.

The facility also would include offices and locker rooms for both of the Division I hockey programs.

A second stage of the project would add a performing arts theater just east of the existing civic center complex with the state being asked for $5 million that would be matched by $5 million in local funds.

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