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NFL • Gov. Mark Dayton on Monday signed off on a hard-fought agreement to build the Minnesota Vikings a $975 million stadium at the downtown Minneapolis site of the team's current home, the Metrodome. Dayton, who championed the deal, signed the bill to mostly cheers during a Capitol ceremony in St. Paul attended by team owners Zygi and Mark Wilf, business and labor leaders, construction workers and fans of the purple and gold.
There was strong opposition to the deal by some taxpayers and elected officials, who argued that the public shouldn't have to shoulder most of the costs of paying for a new stadium for a privately owned and profitable sports team. About a dozen opponents voiced their displeasure on Monday, briefly delaying the proceedings by heckling the governor and waving protest signs.
The Vikings hope to move into their new home by 2016, and will sign a 30-year lease to play there. The team will pay just under half the cost of the $975 million construction project, with the state and city of Minneapolis paying the rest.
• Wayne Nunnely is retiring after 17 seasons as a defensive line coach in the NFL, the last three with the Denver Broncos. Jay Rodgers was promoted from defensive assistant to replace Nunnely.
• Free agent running back Tim Hightower re-signed with the Washington Redskins.
Slovakian Sagan wins another stage
CYCLING • Peter Sagan of Slovakia won his second straight stage with a powerful and unchallenged sprint and retained the overall lead in Stage 2 of the Amgen Tour of California. The Liquigas-Cannondale rider was timed in the 117.1-mile road race from San Francisco to Aptos in 5 hours and 2 minutes. He now leads the eight-day event by 8 seconds over Heinrich Haussler of Australia. Salt Lake City native Jeffry Louder was in fourth place overall after Stage 2, 14 seconds off the lead.
From wire reports