From Deseret News archives:

Plans unveiled for 'Real City' in Sandy

Practice fields, restaurants and shops are in the works

Published: Thursday, Oct. 13, 2005 12:14 p.m. MDT
 |  E-MAIL | PRINT | FONT + - 
SANDY — Dave Checketts wants to open a stadium in Sandy for his professional soccer team, Real Salt Lake, by July 4, 2007 — a speedy time line that Checketts detailed Wednesday along with the official announcement of the stadium's location.

Checketts wants the stadium on 22 acres that the team has under contract on the northwest corner of 9400 South and State Street. The land will hold the stadium, practice fields, restaurants and shops to make "almost a Real City here in Sandy," he said.

Checketts does not know how much the proposal will cost, although he estimated that it will be "northward of what we were talking about." Team officials have quoted a price tag of $60 million to $65 million and hinted they want up to half of that to be public money.

Drawings by architect Gino Rossetti show a 25,000-seat stadium that includes a permanent performing arts stage and a partially open roof, allowing a view of the Wasatch Mountains to the east. Outside the stadium, Rossetti's drawings show patrons at restaurants and milling around a fountain plaza.

"It will be significantly financed through private capital," Checketts said. "It is not going to be done in a way that will increase the load on the taxpayers. This is not a George Bush 'read my lips' thing. It will not be done."

No new tax burden on residents does not necessarily mean that no tax money will be involved, however.

Sandy Mayor Tom Dolan said that $20 million to $25 million the Legislature has earmarked for a parking garage at the South Towne Exposition Center, across the street from the site, could pay for a shared garage for the two venues and part of the stadium's land. Dolan's plan must meet Salt Lake County approval, but Peter Corroon, Salt Lake County mayor and Real Salt Lake season ticket holder, said that he was "looking forward to the stadium in Sandy."

Checketts said he settled on Sandy only after "agonizing over making a decision," and that politics had something to do with his choice.

"It would be wrong to say that political winds blowing did not have anything to do with it. But it would be absolutely wrong to say that the Rocky factor did this," he said, discounting accusations that Salt Lake's outspoken mayor might have swayed him against the city the team is named after.

Comments

You can be the first to comment on this story.

Image

The 25,000-seat stadium that includes a permanent performing arts stage and a partially open roof.

previousnext

Latest comments

Reading the letter, I am not sure that it is eating that is the sin, but...

The media that Sarah criticizes so much is the same force that is providing...

3A: Juan Diego's last-gasp play

We'll be back next year. I know it, and I hope that all of our coaches and...

Utah Utes whip SDSU

This year TCU has proven to the world how weak the MWC is (MWC=WAC). BYU and...

Secularists and religious arguments

I have no problem with religious people voting their conscience. I do,...

I have to agree that the comment about "the pesky seniors" is uncalled...

I was in my Latin class in High School in California. Our teacher hadn't...

Glenn Beck is Oprah's heir apparent since he has a larger following and can...

Atheist groups flourish on campuses

of atheism just as morally equal to spreading the Gospel of Christianity. To...

Yes, 40% of doctors polled said they will definitely or seriously consider...

Advertisements