ST. PAUL, Minn. -- The Minnesota Vikings have been given an ultimatum of sorts in their quest for a new stadium.

Gov. Mark Dayton and a key lawmaker said Tuesday that the team must build on the site of the Metrodome -- its least-favorite option -- or state funding help for the multimillion-dollar project won't happen this year.

Minnesota's 2012 legislative session began Tuesday, one expected to be dominated by the team's stadium drive. But the issue came to a head more quickly than expected as Dayton confirmed that he had informed Vikings owner Zygi Wilf that a new stadium has to be built at the current site of the Metrodome in order to secure any kind of state funding from lawmakers this year.