Developer donates $5M to rec center

Salt Lake County's Southwest Recreation Center was always going to have a swimming pool, although it wasn't necessarily going to be Olympic-size.

That's one reason why Herriman Mayor Lynn Crane and City Councilwoman Raquel DeLuca have been working to raise $9 million to supplement the planned $20 million facility, and Wednesday they came $5 million closer to their goal.

With the help of a hefty donation from one of Herriman's developers, DeLuca says, the residents of Herriman, Bluffdale and Riverton will have the recreation center of their dreams, with all of the "bells and whistles" they want.

"With the different dynamics of growth out here, we need to cater to all of our residents," DeLuca said. "It is really important that this (upgraded facility) goes forward, that we get the whole enchilada. To do anything less wouldn't serve the needs of the entire community."

Rosecrest Inc., a development project from The Sorenson Group of Real Estate Companies, and the Sorenson Legacy Foundation said Wednesday that they will each contribute $2.5 million toward the Southwest Recreation Center, which will most likely be located in Herriman.

Herriman's City Council voted unanimously Tuesday night to annex a substantial amount of land that will be connected to the Rosecrest development into their city. But Don Wallace, president and chief operating officer of The Sorenson Group of Real Estate Companies, said his company was willing to donate to the recreation center no matter where it will be built.

"This is a donation to the county rec facility," Wallace said. "It will serve (Bluffdale, Riverton and Herriman)...It was based on the southwest community and the needs they have. Anything we do out there benefits all three of those communities."

The $20 million from Salt Lake County zoo, arts and parks tax dollars will pay for the bulk of the project, including a leisure pool, water slide, aerobics studio, fitness area and party rooms. But Herriman, Bluffdale and Riverton residents want more and have determined to privately raise additional money to help pay for extras such as racquetball courts, a second gym, a track and a diving tank.

"These are all amenities that are lacking in the existing facilities, and it just seemed to us that it's a shame to put as much money as $20 million into a facility that doesn't adequately respond to all of the interests or the needs of the region," Crane said. "Our interest is trying to facilitate a state-of-the-art facility and provide as much opportunity to the people of the southwest region as possible."