A fairpark stadium finds favor on Hill

Rural legislators who have significant power in Utah politics and share a keen interest in the Utah State Fairpark seem warm to the idea of putting a Major League Soccer stadium on the grounds.

But on the larger issue of whether the state should kick in tax dollars to help build the stadium, those same lawmakers are ice cold.

Richard Frenette, executive director of the state Fairpark, offered a soccer stadium briefing Wednesday to the rurally influenced Natural Resources, Agriculture and Environment Interim Committee.

Rep. Brad Johnson, R-Aurora, told Frenette that there was a rumor going around that rural lawmakers didn't support the idea. In fact, Johnson said, rural lawmakers, himself included, are keen to it.

"I can see a lot of advantage for the fair to have the soccer stadium there," he said. "As I've talked to other rural legislators we think this is nothing but help."

The plan, Frenette said, is for the state to offer 10-12 acres of Fairpark land where the stadium could be built. The stadium would then be constructed and operated by Real Salt Lake, which has said it will use the stadium as a year-round venue attracting events beyond just soccer.

The state, in turn, would control the stadium parking, which would be on the Fairpark, and split the revenues with the soccer team. Those extra parking revenues would help reduce the taxpayer subsidies that contribute to maintaining the Fairpark and thus make the grounds more sustainable, Frenette said.

A similarly structured deal with the Columbus Crew helped rescue Ohio's struggling Fairpark, which Frenette formally headed.

Most, if not all, the committee members liked the idea, especially if it would help generate more revenue for the Fairpark, which some have described as a "financial drain."

But when asked if they would support putting state tax dollars into the stadium, none said yes.

"I personally think an event center of that magnitude can be self-sustaining" and "taxpayers wouldn't have to pay for it," committee chairman Roger Barrus, R-Centerville, said.

The lawmakers said they don't buy the notion that the stadium will generate new economic revenue and maintain the state has higher funding priorities than a stadium.

Real Salt Lake has consistently said it will contribute $30 million toward a roughly $60 million stadium and wants public tax dollars to make up the difference.