The blue-eyed, baby-faced Corroon first came into office in 2005 after a career as a small-business owner working in affordable housing. As mayor, he inherited a slew of high-profile ethical and personnel scandals within county government from Workman's administration, exposed by internal whistle-blowers.

To keep a tighter grip on county operations and prevent future problems, Corroon, a Democrat, created the the Department of Administrative Services. The mayor jumped on new scandals as they popped up, immediately freezing fleet operations during an investigation of mismanagement, tweaking the tuition-reimbursement system and opening his weekly Cabinet meetings to the public.

It's a time-consuming job, but one he loves. He said he's hard-pressed for quality time with his wife and three kids. On Aug. 12 — the day of the stadium groundbreaking — he enjoyed his first date in months with his wife, Amy, celebrating their anniversary.

Even so, Corroon said he's destined for a life in public service. He plans on running for re-election in 2008, and he worries that the soccer-funding decision might come back to haunt him.

"It will affect some voters," Corroon said. "Hopefully, those who know me and realize I'm making decisions in their best interest will stay on board."

If recent response is any indication, people likely won't forget. In phones calls and e-mails, haters and supporters have bombarded him from all fronts.

Several said they no longer plan on voting for him in 2008. "You will NOT be getting a vote from this longtime Democrat," a woman named Jill Thompson wrote in an e-mail to the mayor.

Callers said he should be ashamed of himself because he "sold out to special interests." Others chided him for "selling out to big business," and falling prey to Real's "childish games."

Meanwhile, other residents rejoiced at the decision.

"Thank you for coming together with all the local politicians in creating a deal that will benefit the residents of this great county, as well as keep Real Salt Lake in Utah," Chris Enger, a Herriman resident, wrote in an e-mail to Corroon.

But Corroon doesn't care about making the popular choice, said Doug Willmore, the mayor's chief administrative officer. He only cares about doing what's best for the county taxpayer.

"People love him for not being political, and yet that's the reason he made the soccer decision," said Willmore, who is spearheading funding negotiations with Real. "He ignored popularity. He looked at what would be the best thing for the county.

"He knew that he'd take a big political hit when he did it, because he knew it would be difficult to explain," so difficult that people don't know what to think of it, Willmore added.