RSL is considering proposals from Sandy and Murray in addition to Salt Lake City. Salt Lake City Mayor Rocky Anderson offered the Fairpark proposal after Sandy gained legs earlier this month with a plan to put the stadium near the South Town Expo Center.

Anderson did not respond to a request to comment on the Fairpark proposal. His office did provide a written proposal Anderson has presented to local politicians.

And while many insist downtown is the best place, other Salt Lake City residents say the Fairpark is a decent alternative and would be better than Sandy or Murray.

A Fairpark stadium provides more frequent use of the state-owned facility, which has struggled to find its place outside the 11 days of the annual state fair.

"Utilizing the facilities that we have already is an excellent idea," said Bill Plastow, chairman of People's Freeway Community Council, adding that local residents should be apprised of how the stadium would affect their neighborhood.

Thursday a group of about 25 members of the Fairpark Community Council gathered to discuss the stadium proposal.

"We're concerned about the parking situation," Fairpark Community Council Chair Vicky Orme said. Many area residents don't have off-street parking and can't find parking places when events are going on at the Fairpark, she said.

Going with the Fairpark comes down to price, said Tom Guinney, whose Gastronomy partnership owns several downtown restaurants. The city could cough up $10 million to $20 million to buy 10 acres downtown for a stadium or look to land that is already publicly owned at the Fairpark.

"It's because of the cost factor," he said. Moreover, Guinney said, if RSL goes under, the city won't be stuck with an unused stadium eyesore downtown if the Fairpark site is chosen.

It's expected that any proposal for a $60 million-plus, 25,000-seat soccer-specific stadium would include about $30 million in private funding and another $30 million in public dollars, likely gained if voters approve a Salt Lake County-wide bond vote. Before that vote, however, county leaders have said they want to see RSL's attendance figures at its temporary Rice-Eccles Stadium location, where the University of Utah plays football.

RSL has a lease with the U. for this year and next and has an option for a third year. The team maintains it needs a smaller soccer stadium to create an atmosphere lacking at the cavernous Rice-Eccles Stadium.

Some, including the Utah Taxpayers Association, have opposed any public funding for a stadium and have rejected claims that sports stadiums are economic generators to be funded by taxpayers.

---

E-mail: bsnyder@desnews.com