The Minnesota Vikings jumped into the lotto business last year when they allowed the use of their name and logos for a scratch-off game.

It became one of the most successful lottery games in the state, according to the Associated Press, and now the Vikings would like to see the game used to help them keep their game in Minnesota. The Vikings would propose that a lottery game be used to help fund the construction of a new stadium. Their lease at the headless Metrodome expires after the 2011 season, and the team has been adamant that it will not sign any kind of extension if plans for a new stadium are not finalized.

The $10 scratch-off game generated $12 million in total sales last year, per the report.

“Certainly it's not going to pay for the whole financing, but it could be part of the puzzle," Steve LaCroix, the Vikings’ vice president of marketing told the AP.

Taxpayers have been clear that they don’t want public money used to build a stadium. Lawmakers have been clear they want a multi-use facility that can be used year-round, not for 10 football games a year. Per the report, Gov. Mark Dayton is apprehensive about tying gambling money to stadium construction. The idea makes sense to us provided they have conservative estimates on the money that will be generated. This is a big puzzle and not all of the money is going to come from one area.

"We need to sit down with the governor, legislative leaders and lottery officials and discover if this is a viable option for helping to put this all together," LaCroix said.

Details on Chalk Talk, an NFP Seminar at the Combine

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Brad Biggs covers the Bears for the Chicago Tribune