Planning commission OKs Real Salt Lake stadium signage

SANDY — The Sandy Planning Commission unanimously approved signage for the new Real Salt Lake soccer stadium during a Tuesday meeting, although the owner of the naming rights will not be announced until next week.

Several bright, red banners bearing the sponsor's name will hang from beige columns around the stadium, and other signs will be displayed on both sides of a massive LED screen on the stadium's north end. Inside the stadium, other signs have been put up announcing concession stands such as "Millcreek Pizza," "Twin Peaks Grill" and "Wasatch Wok."

Real officials had asked the city for variances regarding thousands of square feet worth of advertising space on the outside of the stadium. Current city ordinance allows only 600 square feet of ads per exterior wall.

However, the stadium withdrew most of its requests before Thursday's meeting. The planning commission granted variances for a 2,600-square-foot fabric sign that will hang on the north end of the LED screen.

Sandy is in the early phases of drafting a stadium-specific signage ordinance to meet some of Real's requests, said Randy Sant, economic development director. Until the ordinance passes, Real will be allowed to post temporary signs for 45 days at a time.

The exterior advertising Real is asking for was not included in any conceptual drawings of the stadium, according to a city staff report.