Council members and city staffers also say this isn't the first potential UTOPIA deal the city has received. One other venture capital firm with a similar but less defined proposal has offered a deal. And council staffers have pondered getting a private insurance company to back Salt Lake City's potential costs, leaving the city to only pay the insurance premium. Those plans, however, have fallen through.

Wexford's is only offering its deal to Salt Lake City, which would see the largest revenues if UTOPIA succeeds. Still, at least one other member city in UTOPIA isn't jealous.

"We have never been approached by a venture capital company," said West Valley Mayor Dennis Nordfelt. When asked if he has any resentment over his city not being offered a similar deal, Nordfelt said he and the West Valley City Council were confident enough in UTOPIA from the beginning that they saw no need for private backing.

For fear of upseting the 11 other UTOPIA cities who voted to pledge tax money, Morris said he wanted to make it very clear that it was Wexford who approached UTOPIA with an offer, specific to Salt Lake City. Morris said Wexford does not stand to see a dime of profit if UTOPIA does not succeed.

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E-mail: bsnyder@desnews.com; gfattah@desnews.com