Missouri House Speaker Letter Blasts State Money for Stadium

Missouri's House speaker is gathering signatures for a letter to Gov. Jay Nixon that slams a plan to use state money for a new St. Louis football stadium.

A letter from Speaker Todd Richardson obtained Tuesday by The Associated Press urges Nixon and leaders of a stadium task force to work with lawmakers.

A Nixon spokesman didn't immediately comment.

Richardson is the latest of several lawmakers to speak against using taxpayer money for a stadium without legislative or voter approval.

Nixon has been working with St. Louis officials on a $998 million stadium plan aimed at keeping the Rams in the city. Early estimates call for hundreds of millions of taxpayer dollars for bond payments.

But lack of legislative support could cast doubts on the project's finances.