The Utah Taxpayers Association is one group that disagrees.

RSL "will really be competing against existing Utah businesses for consumer expenditures" and therefore shouldn't be aided with tax dollars, the association said in a position paper.

"The public-private partnership claim is really euphemism for a handout," the paper said. "If the soccer stadium business plan were really sound, taxpayer subsidies would not be needed."

All four participants in a press conference at the Governor's Mansion Thursday — Huntsman, Garber, Checketts and Bramble — said the Olympic example is just one model that would be explored. There are other options as state and soccer leaders rack their brains trying to develop a "new model" for public-private stadium building.

Huntsman said he hasn't decided whether he will veto Bramble's legislation that, among other things, prohibits Redevelopment Agency dollars from funding sports stadiums.

Checketts said RSL will play its first two years at the University of Utah's 45,000-seat Rice-Eccles Stadium but hopes to have a new soccer-specific stadium built and ready for use after that. RSL leaders maintain they need a smaller 22,000-seat soccer stadium to create the right atmosphere for games.

Checketts has pledged to put up $30 million toward a $60 million stadium with public funds making up the difference. The team would also like free public land where the stadium could be built.

RSL had lobbied the Salt Lake County Council to put a $30 million bond vote on the ballot, but council members have said they would like to wait and see how the team does at Rice-Eccles before making any commitments.

Checketts said Thursday the push for a county bond may be off as the coalition explores options.

RSL has considered a site in Murray near State and 4500 South along with a site downtown near 600 South and Main. Huntsman said he doesn't care where the stadium goes as long as it stays in Utah.

---

E-mail: bsnyder@desnews.com