Proposed youth-soccer site too close to river?

A local environmental group is unhappy about a deal forged to make way for a Sandy soccer stadium, and it's not the stadium location that bothers them.

A county proposal to help Real Salt Lake build the soccer stadium with the help of $55 million in public subsidies calls for the team to give $7.5 million to supplement $15 million in voter-approved Salt Lake City bonds for a youth soccer complex at 2300 West and Redwood Road. But that location doesn't sit well with Jordan River watchdog group Great Salt Lakekeeper. Its director, Jeff Salt, said the plans don't take into account the impact on the Jordan River.

"My organization feels the Jordan River is not a poker chip that should be used as a negotiating item," Salt said. "The Jordan River is not for sale for soccer."

Real officials did not return calls seeking comment Monday.

Salt believes the complex should be built — it just shouldn't be along the banks of the ecologically sensitive river. While neither the Real agreement nor the bond agreement specifies the location of the complex, the riverside site is considered the most likely location by people who have been involved in the plans over the past several years.

"We're very happy to support that project if it were just anywhere but along the Jordan River," he said. "We're not trying to sabotage and say 'no' to soccer."

Salt wants to build a nature center as part of the Jordan River Parkway trail system at the proposed site.

Salt Lake County Mayor Peter Corroon, who played a key role in the Real deal, said Monday that he is sympathetic to Salt's concerns but he believes the planned site can be used in a river-sensitive way.

"I agree that it should be located far enough away from the river not to produce any environmental concerns, whether it's in a different location or there's a significant buffer away from the Jordan River," Corroon said.

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