Huntsman isn't worried Real friction signals deterioration of stadium deal

Despite difficulties that have surfaced in negotiations, the Real Salt Lake deal intended to keep the soccer team in Utah will work out, Gov. Jon Huntsman Jr. said Thursday.

At some point in settling the terms for any deal, the governor said, negotiations "are contentious. But you get to the finish line eventually. I don't think this signals that there is in any way a breakdown in the overall plan."

Huntsman put together the $35 million package approved by lawmakers after Salt Lake County leaders rejected the deal. The money, which will come from Salt Lake County hotel-room taxes, is to be used to build a parking garage and buy land and infrastructure in Sandy for the stadium.

There's been friction recently over part of the package calling for the team to come up with $7.5 million for soccer fields at a new 180-acre sports complex that Salt Lake City intends to build at about 2000 North between Redwood Road and I-215.

Real owner Dave Checketts sent a letter to Salt Lake Mayor Rocky Anderson asking for control over some of the park's plans, including naming rights, in anticipation of having the team use the facility for practice.

Huntsman, in his monthly news-conference broadcast on KUED Channel 7, said while he is not going to negotiate the deal for the park, that state has a responsibility "to make sure the $7.5 million is part of it. That was clear from the very beginning."

The governor said the money, which will be paired with a $15.3 million bond to cover the cost of the complex, is "an integral part" of the deal that was agreed to early on between Anderson and Real.

Real officials insist they aren't making any new demands. Team officials are negotiating the same details they spent months hammering out with Salt Lake City when Salt Lake County officials were holding the purse-strings. Those details include naming rights, sponsorships, revenue streams from parking and concessions.

"There is nothing new to any of it," team spokesman Eric Gelfand said.

The team is concerned, however, that the scope of the project has changed since Real agreed to give the city $7.5 million for the ball fields.

When voters pledged the $15.3 million bond for the park in 2003, the plan included 30 fields for soccer, rugby, baseball, softball and lacrosse. Now, because of rising costs, the city can only build 16 natural-turn soccer fields, two baseball diamonds and two softball diamonds.