"This is a great market," Hammons said. "I never build unless I have the best market, first, and the best site, second. I never build unless the market's right, I don't make mistakes like that."

Pleasant Grove Mayor Mike Daniels said Hammons, who received land but not public funding for the hotel, is "going all out" for the project.

White said he will look to update the county's study within 30 days of the beginning of construction of the Pleasant Grove project to see what impact a second convention center will have. Then the county will re-evaluate its plans, White said.

"We'll just have to go back and look at everything and decide," White said. "I don't want to make an emotional decision because the county's tax dollars could be on the line for the next 20 years, and there's a question of the opportunity cost of that $50 million that may end up in other areas with other projects we could do."

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