Guv likes Sandy as stadium location

Gov. Jon Huntsman Jr. solely supports a Real Salt Lake soccer stadium in Sandy, his spokesman said Friday.

Salt Lake City Mayor Rocky Anderson this week resurrected a proposal he first pitched last year to put the stadium on state-owned land at the Fairpark, but the idea isn't making much headway among other officials.

"We're not advocating any proposal and not encouraging any process other than that which is being considered next Tuesday," said Mike Mower, Huntsman's spokesman. "Our focus is on Real in Sandy."

Among other Sandy supporters is House Speaker Greg Curtis, a south-valley politician with a lot riding on his hometown's proposed stadium spot. Anderson doesn't seem to have many advocates on the Salt Lake County Council, either.

Anderson sent a letter Wednesday to Huntsman, Salt Lake County Mayor Peter Corroon and Real owner Dave Checketts asking them to reconsider the Fairpark as a site with "tremendous benefits to all." The capital city's mayor proposed using a share of county hotel-tax money, along with city property and sales taxes, to help the team build on the state-owned land.

But the team has already paid $12 million for 20 acres for a stadium in Sandy and has repeatedly said it is committed to the site.

"How can we make it more clear that we are committed to Sandy?" team spokesman Tom Love said Friday. "We have bought land, we have built plans, we have done engineering drawings. We have done everything for this stadium to be in that pristine location in Salt Lake County and Sandy."

County leaders last month turned down a plan from Real to bond for $35 million in hotel-tax money, because debt service on the bond meant the county eventually would have wound up paying $87.5 million over the life of the loan.

Now, Sandy leaders are preparing an alternate proposal that could draw on some of the hotel-tax money, as well as city and county property taxes. Sandy is scheduled to present its plan to the county Tuesday.

Mower and Huntsman's chief of staff, Neil Ashdown, reviewed that plan Friday with Curtis and Sandy Mayor Tom Dolan. Curtis, who called the Sandy pitch "our proposal," said Anderson is interfering where he ought not to.

"It seems to me that Rocky is trying to say, 'I want to muddy the waters in regards to Sandy city's presentation,'" Curtis said. "I don't understand Rocky's methodology."

Anderson's spokesman, Patrick Thronson, did not respond to phone and e-mail inquiries from the Deseret Morning News on Friday.