From Deseret News archives:
Sandy plans additional Real funds
Officials say money won't come from taxpayer dollars
City officials said talk of an exact amount by Salt Lake County and Real Soccer sources on Monday was premature. The city already has pledged $10 million in redevelopment-agency funds for the stadium. But what the dollar amount of any further funding could be is still unknown, as the city is still crunching numbers.
County and team officials told the Deseret Morning News on Monday that Sandy would give Real at least $6 million now, providing the team with money until hotel room tax dollars become available. However, Randy Sant, Sandy's economic development director, said Tuesday that he has never seen that figure.
"It's not from Sandy City, because I'm working on the plan," he said. "Rather than discussing our plan in the newspaper, we'd rather discuss it with the Salt Lake County Council, since they are our partner and make the decision."
Real needs $45 million in public dollars to help finance construction costs for the stadium and hopes $35 million can come from the county in the form of hotel room tax dollars. But county revenues from the hotel tax are now being used for an expansion of the Salt Palace. Salt Lake County Mayor Peter Corroon last month said the financial burden was too much for the county to bear.
Sandy officials hope they can bridge the gap between the time Real needs public funding and the year hotel-tax revenue is available again, Sant said.
"Any finance plan, whether it be ours or another county plan, would require that," Sant said. "It's a true statement that any funding plan would require some bonding proposal. But we're still looking at ways to address the issue."
Sandy Mayor Tom Dolan, through the city spokesperson, would not confirm or deny the additional public funding. City staff and elected officials have made it clear, though, that additional money would not come through taxpayer dollars.
"We have looked at a number of ways, and we think it can be done," said Steve Fairbanks, chairman of the Sandy City Council. "The important thing to keep in mind is we can do it without raising taxes."
Within the next 30 days, Sandy will present its proposal to the Salt Lake County Council for review.
E-mail: astowell@desnews.com
