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Committee hears regional economic case for $7M in event support tied to Ryder Cup
Summary
Lawmakers heard tourism and business leaders back a $7 million grant proposal to help host PGA/Ryder Cup–related events, with witnesses citing prior event-driven tourism dollars and regional economic benefits; committee laid the bill over for further consideration.
Senate File 39.77, introduced on March 23, would appropriate $7 million in fiscal 2027 to support costs associated with hosting major PGA events, including Ryder Cup-related activities. The sponsor framed the investment as an economic development and tourism strategy to attract international visitors and boost regional spending.
Representatives from the Minneapolis Downtown Council, Bloomington travel and tourism, Chaska city administration and PGA-host venues described prior event impacts and the regional benefits of staging large sporting events. A Downtown Council representative cited past events that attracted millions of attendees and argued that large sporting events can generate hundreds of millions in economic activity through lodging, food, transportation and retail.
Chaska City leadership acknowledged local costs — such as public safety and traffic management — but said regional benefits justify state support to remain competitive for multi-million-dollar events. Phil Anderson, a PGA-affiliated venue manager, told the committee independent studies have shown very large multipliers and urged the state to support the bid to host multiple major events.
Committee members referenced earlier successful event investments and expressed general support but reserved final decisions pending further budget work; the bill was laid over for subsequent consideration.
