From Deseret News archives:
Soccer site options brewing
If Sandy deal fails, other offers may be in works
The Salt Lake County Council is scheduled to discuss a $30 million funding package for Real Salt Lake and could vote on it today. Sandy leaders crafted the proposal after Mayor Peter Corroon rejected the team's initial funding plan in May. The plan could end up costing $76 million over the life of a 30-year bond, including debt service.
Opportunists are already lining up just in case the county rejects Sandy's plan. Salt Lake City Mayor Rocky Anderson wants to build the stadium at the Utah State Fairpark, while councilwoman Jenny Wilson wants the team to continue playing at Rice-Eccles Stadium.
Even House Speaker Greg Curtis, R-Sandy, has a contingency plan: If the County Council doesn't use hotel-tax money for a soccer stadium in Sandy, he wants the money to be used to fund light-rail expansion. On top of that, Anderson is tossing out the idea of using both hotel and Zoo, Arts and Parks taxes to fund a downtown cultural-arts district.
"It's kind of a game of chicken we'll see who wins," Salt Lake County councilman Joe Hatch said Monday.
The only caveat is that Hatch said he wants Sandy leaders to "stand up and say, 'I have no heartburn with this money going to downtown Salt Lake.' "
Several high-powered politicians back the Sandy plan, including Curtis and Gov. Jon Huntsman Jr. But that kind of political backing won't stop Salt Lake City's mayor, who urged the County Council in a letter Monday to examine all stadium plans on their merits not just their political backing.
Anderson wants the county to offer up $17.5 million in hotel-room taxes to build a stadium at the Utah State Fairpark on North Temple and 1000 West. That money, along with property taxes from a community-development agency, would go into improving facilities at the Fairpark. Key to Anderson's plan is that the team would pay the county back in 17.5 years, either in cash or through in-kind tourism-promotion services.
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