Group opposes plan for youth sports complex

A group of Jordan River recreation enthusiasts has come together to oppose plans to build a youth sports complex in northwest Salt Lake City.

The coalition, which includes waterfowl hunters, horse owners, bird and wildlife watchers, recreational boaters and environmentalists, says the planned complex, to be built at about 2000 North between Redwood Road and Interstate 215, would negatively impact the river corridor.

"It will take away various forms of outdoor recreational use," Great Salt Lakekeeper Jeff Salt said Tuesday.

The complex is part of an agreement with Major League Soccer team Real Salt Lake, which is set to receive $35 million in hotel-room taxes to build a stadium in Sandy. Part of that deal includes Real kicking in $7.5 million to help build the 180-acre sports complex in Salt Lake, with another $15.3 in voter-approved bonds.

Real owners, city officials and soccer complex advocates have in recent days been at odds over terms of that deal, bickering over whether the $7.5 million is an investment on which Real can see a return, or a no-strings-attached gift.

Amid that debate, Salt and his coalition argue that the complex should go somewhere else.

Salt said Salt Lake City schoolyards could be used for weekend soccer practices and games, while a more compact soccer complex built elsewhere in the city could handle tournament games.

The group wants to see the proposed complex land saved as a nature preserve.

"This is the last of the large publicly owned pieces of land on the Jordan River" that doesn't now have development or plans for it, Salt said.

He said the land lies in the river's floodplain and experienced major flooding in the 1980s.

"What's going to happen to our $45 million when the floods come back?" he said.

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