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St. Paul (AP) ― College football will return to the University of Minnesota campus in a new stadium approved Saturday by the Legislature. The Twins also closed in on an open-air ballpark.

The House and Senate authorized spending for the university's stadium on lopsided votes. Hours later, the House endorsed the Twins stadium plan on a 71-61 vote.

Action on the Gophers stadium preceded consideration of the Twins' $522 million ballpark plan which still required Senate approval. Gov. Tim Pawlenty has pledged his support for each.

"We have an opportunity to keep Minnesota a major league state," said Republican Rep. Brad Finstad, R-New Ulm, the sponsor of the Twins plan.

It centers around a Hennepin County sales tax of 0.15 percent that would be enacted without a referendum typically required of such taxes. The tax will cover 75 percent of the construction costs.

Rep. Ron Erhardt, R-Edina, described it as the "most incredible exercise in selfishness" by legislators from outside the state's most populous county for letting the tax slide without a ballot measure.

"A whole bunch of people can say `I'm not passing a tax on my constituents,"' echoed Rep. Alice Hausman, DFL-St. Paul. "It's the only reason it's passing this year."

County leaders and the Twins wouldn't accept a referendum because of uncertainty over the outcome and added delays.

The Gophers financing plan commits the state to 55 percent of the $248 million cost, an amount that caused some legislators to flinch. But sentiment was decidedly positive.

"Big Ten football should be played outside," said Sen. Geoff Michel, R-Edina. "Big Ten football should be played on campus."

In the House, Rep. Ron Abrams called it "one of the flagship issues this Legislature has dealt with in the 2006 session."

The Senate vote was 43-24. The House vote was 96-37.

University of Minnesota President Bob Bruininks watched the debate from the House gallery with other boosters. They chuckled when the university's rouser was played back during the discussion.

After the vote, Bruininks said, "To me, it allows us to be competitive athletically but it also provides a rare opportunity to bring Minnesota together on the University of Minnesota campus."

Critics of the Twins bill got in some final swipes during a small protest outside of Pawlenty's official state residence Saturday morning.

Some held signs warning supportive lawmakers that their votes would haunt them in November's elections. "Your Next Office -- Unemployment," read one.

Minneapolis auto mechanic Dave Bicking said the public deserved to decide on the stadium tax. The tax -- three cents on a $20 purchase -- would pay for three-quarters of the $522 million ballpark in downtown Minneapolis.

"It's not the end," Bicking said. "It's the beginning of a new stage where we hold some of them accountable."

Before House and Senate lawmakers weighed in Saturday, a committee working on the tax bill provided some high drama on the stadium front. They nearly attached an amendment to that bill allowing for a petition-driven referendum on the Hennepin County tax. Sen. Mee Moua, DFL-St. Paul, switched her vote at the last minute, killing the measure.

Other critics said Twins owner Carl Pohlad was getting a sweetheart deal, paying $130 million toward the stadium but gaining all game-day revenue and in-stadium advertising proceeds.

At least one opponent said he would explore legal options for blocking the stadium.

Passions run high on the other side, too. St. Paul resident Dave Baker interrupted his jog to criticize the protesters, provoking a brief shouting match.

"If we would have built it 10 years ago, it would have been half the cost," he said.

If approved, the open-air, 42,000-seat Twins ballpark would be ready for the 2010 season.

That's none to soon for Twins players and coaches.

"The Metrodome has served its purpose but it's outdated and not really a baseball park," said Twins manager Ron Gardenhire. "This stadium is going to be real good for a lot of people. People like the outdoors in Minnesota."

The Gophers stadium would be ready for the 2009 season. It would end a quarter-century hiatus of college football from the university campus. Memorial Stadium was torn down after the university moved its games to the Metrodome in 1982.

When interest on the debt is figured in, the state's share adds up to about $10.25 million a year -- or $1.7 million a game for the next 25 years.

The university will cover the 45 percent of the stadium through a $35 million naming-rights deal with TCF Bank, other private donations and a student fee of $25 a year.

Sen. Jane Ranum, DFL-Minneapolis, said state priorities for the university were misplaced because lawmakers didn't approve a bioscience research initiative the school sought.

"You cannot say that one is your top priority but only get the funding for the stadium," she said. "Look at a person's checkbook and that's where you can see their values."

The Metrodome's third tenant, the Minnesota Vikings, fell short in a stadium bid. Team officials say they'll ask lawmakers to sign off on a suburban football stadium next year.

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Memorial Stadium was the home of Minnesota Golden Gophers football from 1924 until 1981.

(© 2009 CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. The Associated Press contributed to this report.)