Commission to hear request on stadium

Sandy's Planning Commission will hear a request tonight on a zoning change for the Real Salt Lake soccer stadium project.

Nick Duerksen, assistant community development director, labeled it a "housekeeping item." But it is the first in the process to eventually finalize site plans.

The Major League Soccer team wants 12.59 acres rezoned from residential to commercial. The three parcels are currently "holding" zones, completely surrounding by a commercial district. Those parcels were owned by various property owners who sold their land to Real.

Real hopes to begin construction soon on the 42-acre, $180 million stadium and adjoining hotel and broadcast studio. Salt Lake County has committed $40 million in hotel taxes for infrastructure, and Sandy has promised $15 million in redevelopment-agency funds.

Real is waiting to construct the stadium until a contract is signed with the county. That won't happen until the county finishes an investigation into the team's finances. However, Salt Lake County Mayor Peter Corroon still has not hired that third-party investigator.