Gov. Mark Dayton knows what must happen to keep the Minnesota Vikings in Minneapolis.

"We've got to get a stadium next year or the Vikings will leave," he said at a news conference Tuesday. 

But that is easier said than done.  On Monday, the House Government Operations and Elections committee voted down the stadium project by a 9-6 vote, the Star Tribune said. 

With as little as two weeks now left in the current legislative session, Dayton said he is beginning to think about next year.

"If we don't get it done this session, we will get it done next session," he said.

Dayton said he is disappointed in the vote and is worried about the "thousands of unemployed Minnesotans"who could be put back to work by the stadium project.

Minneapolis Mayor R.T. Rybak isn't giving up hope for the project to be approved this year, the Pioneer Press said.

"We have always known that there would be highs and lows along the way, and there will be more in the future," he said in a written statement Tuesday.

"This stadium bill is the best plan for Minneapolis and the best plan for Minnesota,"  he said.  "I am confident that legislators will want to create the jobs and benefits that the bill provides for all Minnesotans."

Dayton said if a stadium proposal were to come back to the Legislature again next year, it might include a different location.

In Ramsey County, County Commissioners Tony Bennett and Rafael Ortega want to promote the Twin Cities Army Ammunition Plant site in Arden Hills.

"We need to wait and see if somehow the governor resurrects (the Minneapolis proposal) by the end of the week," Ortega said.  "Of course, we should do some brainstorming in the meantime as to what opportunities there are at Arden Hills."

Bennett said Monday's vote leaves Ramsey County an opening.

"There should be more than one bill," he said.  "They should have been looking at the property and picking the best site."