Deseret News | Reader comments: Progress on RSL stadium is kicking in

Reader comments
Progress on RSL stadium is kicking in

47 comments | Read story

Linemenrule | 8:25 a.m. Sept. 12, 2007

What a wonderful taxpayer investment. Just think, it works out to around 55 Million per win. Great job, Sandy.

Linemenrule | 8:28 a.m. Sept. 12, 2007

wow, REALLY! they've won FOUR whole games now?????

Oh that makes it MUCH better it's only 27 1/2 MILLION per win.

SomeGuy | 8:52 a.m. Sept. 12, 2007

Let it go, haters. It's being built.

Can't wait for opening day! It's gonna be great!

Comments continue below

Yay | 10:11 a.m. Sept. 12, 2007

Looking forward to no ugly Utah football lines all over the field as well as a real soccer turf not like the garbage they've got up at Rice Eccles. Very exciting.

Thank Goodness | 10:38 a.m. Sept. 12, 2007

Thank goodness the state only had to invest $35 million of hotel taxes for this $110 Million dollar project. That means if you haven't stayed in a Utah hotel, you haven't paid for it! That is a lot less than the 55% that the RDA paid for the Delta Center, the 92% publicly built Franklin Quest Field from property a tax increase, and the 100% publicly funded E Center. That make Real's stadium the most Privately Funded Stadium in the state!

Can't wait..... | 11:10 a.m. Sept. 12, 2007

...to get the losing spirit out of Rice Eccles and having RSL play on a REAL pitch.
Soccer haters-SHUT IT!

JR | 11:35 a.m. Sept. 12, 2007

If you are a die hard soccer fan, good for you but for someone that doesn't value professional sports of any kind, it is still a sore spot that any taxes should pay for any private enterprise whether it is Davey or Larry, mind you Larry has taken the most of taxpayers dollars and still does on his IDAHO farm. Took about pork barrel

Caring | 11:46 a.m. Sept. 12, 2007

Taxes? percentages? white lines and plastic turf? It's still just soccer. While prolific in other areas and other markets, it is and likely will always be a little league and club sport at best in Utah. Perhaps the bright side is that when this league folds, Sandy City may be able to recover by renovating it into a semi pro, or high school football facility. Suerte!

Soccer | 11:53 a.m. Sept. 12, 2007

Looks like all five soccer supporters have weighed in!

Except for games that bring David Beckham, ML soccer is such a non issue for SLC.

I can't believe the people of Sandy stood for this.

Bor-ing!

Non-issue? | 12:26 p.m. Sept. 12, 2007

huh? soccer is a non issue for salt lake? ya except for some of the highest youth and adult participation levels in the entire country. oh ya, and RSL is in the top 5 for attendance in MLS. ya, its a real non-issue.

RSL has been the worst team in MLS over the last 3 years and still manages to stay at the top level of MLS attendance, im sure glad soccer is a non issue in salt lake. just wait until they are playing in their own stadium, they'll surely become a figmant of our own imaginations and completly disappear from reality.

Mark | 12:30 p.m. Sept. 12, 2007

What a great investment? Business people did not want to take it in the shorts, so they convinced our legislature to put the taxpayers on the hook for what will amount to a colossal failure. What a brilliant plan.

MLS FOLD? | 12:42 p.m. Sept. 12, 2007

Let's see...Utah Jazz lost $26 million in 2006, MLS lost $8 Million in 2006. MLS signed $100 Million with Adidas, multi-year-multi-$100 million deals with EPSN and Univision, and they have Beckham. Does Beckham help. 66,000 people attended LA at New York. Beckham's injured though? Blanco brought an extra 8,000 fans to RES. Sorry soccer haters, this stadium will be well used...for soccer.

David Check Its | 12:58 p.m. Sept. 12, 2007

I'm glad to see the world's nicest high school state football and soccer tournament venue is coming along nicely.

Real will be gone within the decade. Their organization is an absolute mess. Unfortunately, for taxpayers, Mr. Checketts is friends with too many state government cronies.

Common Sense | 1:21 p.m. Sept. 12, 2007

It must be hard to still be a soccer basher in this country, now that MLS soon will have every team in a soccer specific stadium, and that national TV contracts have been signed, and that attendance is on the rise, and there is more media coverage now than ever before...your losing battle is almost over. Give it up, and just let it be. Check out a game sometime, until you know what you are talking about give it a rest.

From Indy...

no one watches it though | 1:53 p.m. Sept. 12, 2007

There a few people, sure. But 40% of each attending audience is there a give-away from sponsors or the league.

Kids watch scocer but when they get older, they convert to professional sports (baseball, basketball, football, hockey). That is where the money is, therefore that is where the audience goes.

Don't get me wrong, i don't think we should publicly support those either, but at least there is drama associated with it. MLS has trying to shove soccer down the throats of Americans for 20 years and it hasn't picked up.

Stats show that while soccer-playing kids stay active as adults, their childhood love of soccer does not translate as a spectator.

bor-ing!

Reader | 2:43 p.m. Sept. 12, 2007

In the future, this stadium will be a monument to stupid decisions by some people to push this debacle through and it will be home to an actual 4,000 (or fewer) ticket-buying soccer fans accompanied by another 10,000 who got their tickets free through some means. (Heck, even with the price of "free" I would not waste my time watching RSL or any other soccer.) In 5 to 7 years from now, this stadium will turn out to be one of the dumbest financial decisions ever made by legislators and RSL.

Chris | 2:47 p.m. Sept. 12, 2007

Wow. The idiocy in this comment thread is unbelievable. If you don't want to watch soccer, that's fine. Since you are not paying for anything for this stadium, you are not losing anything. As a kid who watched other sports as well as soccer growing up, I converted to professional soccer exclusively; the NBA is a joke, the NFL is so over-hyped it is hard to watch, nobody cares about the NHL, and baseball is so boring to watch I would rather choke on razer blades than be forced to sit through a game. Soccer is the World's Game for a reason.
I can't wait for the stadium to be finished.

Anonymous | 2:59 p.m. Sept. 12, 2007

zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz I think the only people who watch this stuff in Utah are RMs that served in Brazil. Wake me up during the world cup, the only time I would ever watch any soccer.

Seriously | 3:03 p.m. Sept. 12, 2007

This is one of the biggest private investments ever in the state of utah. Out of $110 million, only $35 million of that is hotel tax dollars. Hotel tax dollars, not utah citizen tax dollars. If we can pay for the majority of Franklin Covey field with taxes (average attendance per game is probably 1500 people per game), for a triple A baseball team, than I have a hard time seeing us not build this soccer stadium (average attendance is like 16,000 people per game). For those who can't see the progression of the MLS, you have blinded yourself to the most popular sport in the world taking hold in the good old USA. This league is sitting on a great foundation and it is only going to get better. I expect sell out games at nearly 100% of the games at the new REAL stadium next year and in the future. I think it will be like other states NFL teams where if you haven't had season tickets for 20 years, then you aren't going to the game because it is sold out. (unless you buy from a scalper, of course) Oh, and did I mention, this venue won't only be used for soccer. It will be host to concerts, high school sports, etc. There will be money made outside of soccer. Very fine investment if you ask me.

Trust me, I am paying. | 3:09 p.m. Sept. 12, 2007

I love how "they" designate funds for special projects, and then the rallying cry is that it isn't costing anything because its designated dollars.

the fact is every single dime this government spends, regardless how it is generated, that does not pay for itself is an EXPENSE.

Now, I don't mind that expense for common goals that I sign on for, in being part of a community. This would include roads, (public!) schools, police, fire, even community Arts.

Even programs like Headstart are proven to pay back more than the their expense. Bring those programs on.

But publicly funding private enterprise, with no hope of recouping the costs -- I am against the subsidies to Delta Center but you can argue that the economics have proven a net gain on the surrounding area -- is something NO GOVERNMENT should be involved in.

I thought the conservative, Republican governments were about LESS interference, fewer subsidies???

The fact that soccer is boring, watched only marginally by a handle of fans (hah! to the RM comment! you got that right!) is secondary to the argument. that just means its going to go down quicker.

I guarantee: soccer will not be here in ten years.

Good Accounting | 3:14 p.m. Sept. 12, 2007

I'm an accountant, so let me explain something to everyone. Just because hotel taxes are being used doesn't mean you aren't paying for it by not staying in a hotel. ANY money that comes out of tax coffers is money that could have been used for something else.

ALL taxpayers that live in Salt Lake County are paying for this.

Bad accounting | 3:34 p.m. Sept. 12, 2007

Not true, Mr. good accounting. Your statement that "any money that comes out of tax coffers is money that could have been used for something else" is 100% wrong. By law hotel taxes are only allowed to be used on tourism-related projects, and since it's been well established that high-profile soccer matches bring people in from around the country and world, spending that money on stadium infrastructure (NOT the stadium itself) was the perfect use for that money.

So contrary to what you may have heard, this money absolutely could not have been used to fund schools or build another road.

The public portion of the funds will reach the break-even point very quickly, if it hasn't already (thanks to Real Madrid and the World Cup qualifier).

Bad accounting | 3:36 p.m. Sept. 12, 2007

I'd love to see the back up | 3:54 p.m. Sept. 12, 2007

you said the public portion will reach the break even point quickly, if it hasn't already.

can you support that statement, with some thing quantifiable? or is that a rhetorical statement?

Because I am pretty sure you are astoundingly wrong with that statement, but am totally willing to be proved otherwise.

Soccer | 3:55 p.m. Sept. 12, 2007

I'm one who gave soccer a try and now I can't get enough. Try it out, pretty soon you'll be at the new stadium and buying subscriptions to Gol TV and Fox Soccer Channel.

Not likely! | 4:05 p.m. Sept. 12, 2007

Between Real's ad agency and their marketing firm, I wonder exactly how many ringers post here? lol

I do know it is part of the marketing strategy -- its all the rage in online marketing, and is definitely a part of theirs -- so the question is, how many of these seemingly different "pro" posts are all the same person?

Bad accounting | 4:25 p.m. Sept. 12, 2007

I'll gladly present "something quantifiable".....an independent assessor representing SL County found that visitors from out of state dropped $10.5M in sales/hotel taxes alone. That's money that wouldn't have been there otherwise. That's money that goes directly into public coffers. Now there wasn't an assessment done on the World Cup qualifier but it was likely a similar figure. That's why I said it will pay for itself quickly.

Here's an idea for the future: Rather than solicit facts from anonymous people on the internet, go find them yourself. Visit rslstadium.com for all the number crunching you can handle. If you take a moment to educate yourself, you might start realizing that this is a no-rsik situation for taxpayers - every possible bad outcome (RSL folds, MLS folds, etc.) is covered.

Bad accounting | 4:26 p.m. Sept. 12, 2007

That $10.5M number I dropped was for the Real Madrid game. Sorry I omitted it in my previous post.

Sandy man | 4:42 p.m. Sept. 12, 2007

The only reason that soccer is "The World's Game" is that the rest of the world didn't have American football, basketball or baseball to choose from. Even now, there are more kids in Europe playing hoops than soccer. As someone earlier mentioned, the attendance figures from Real games are more padded than any others in town, with maybe the exception of U of U football. I was told in the 60s, 70s, 80s and 90s that the game would explode in the US. I'm still waiting for the "boom". Major League Soccer is major league in name only. A real major league doesn't have one owner for three teams.

to Bad Accounting.... | 4:49 p.m. Sept. 12, 2007

Part I:

And you can think of *no* other tourism costs to direct that money towards....?

Even if that money is mandated for tourism, there are plenty of tourism budgets that it could be used for.

Part II:

The number you give is the tax money collected, not the revenue generated by Real (I guarantee that Real-generated hotel visits didn't bring in $10.5MM!!). This has nothing to do with Real "breaking even".

What you implied is that Real would "pay for itself"

The germane number is how much does Real bring in to the local economics? How much are out of town travelers projected to bring into the local economy?

Skiing is a no brainer; for every dollar spent on ski tourism, we get $2 to $3 back .

We are NOT there yet with Real.

And rslstadium is owned and published by Real. I prefer to get my info from sources a *little* more objective! lol

Dumb Jocks | 4:51 p.m. Sept. 12, 2007

Why is that "Major" sport fans/former players are ignorant as a whole?

The attitude is... if I didn't play it growing up or Stew Scott and Brad Rock don't fall allover themselves about it... it must suck.

Sure, soccer is a different game that football... it requires intelligence to watch. You have to see what is going on and think about the nuances of the game. It isn't turn off your brain entertainment.

Soccer is a thinking mans game. If you prefer to punch out at work, turn off your brain and watch others play a sport... soccer will never appeal to you. However, if you punch out, keep your brain active while you watch sports... perhaps you will enjoy a soccer match.

Feel free to hate soccer... itï¿½s your loss.

confused | 5:52 p.m. Sept. 12, 2007

I love these threads. It is the same thing all over the media... "I hate soccer. it will never be big. it is so boring. blah. blah. blah." I don't want you to come to a game. I don't care if you don't like it. Why do you spend your time ripping on a sport that other people really enjoy. I love soccer and will go to games no matter where I live. I also really enjoy other sports. I guess I just don't get why people waste there time tearing down another sport. Are they afraid it is going to grow into something big? I don't know. I just am sick and tired of the drama that surrounds all of the other sports in the USA right now. I can't wait for the new stadium and ya know what if you hate soccer, that is fine, but don't try to make me hate it. Seriously, try going to one game and then you can make your statements. I know soccer can be boring if you don't understand the game. Anyway, I don't want this to be an argumentative post but I have seen so much of this negative opinion all over the media that it is getting old. These people also throw out so much misinformation. anyway I am done.

James Spackman | 6:33 p.m. Sept. 12, 2007

There is more money to be made in soccer than any other sports business - global annual turnover is expected to top $60bn in 2010 and is growing 8-10% year-on-year.
In other parts of the world people choose to support association football over american football, basketball and other types of ball sports - did NFL not accept defeat trying to export it's popularity earlier this year?
Soccer is community-based, with a primary emphasis on education - not profit-based, with an emphasis on entertainment - once the stadium is built (and provided the management don't do anything stupid with the finances) there will be a pro-soccer team in SLC forever.
This is a project which is designed to last and to grow - I, for one, hope the planners have factored in scope for expansion of the stadium which will become the hot topic within 10-15 years, as Salt Lake will need a 40,000+ capacity to be a world cup venue when USA hosts again in 2020 or 2024.

Tax Payer | 7:25 p.m. Sept. 12, 2007

We have heard about how soccor is going to grow and take over other sports for the past 30 -40 years now. But the facts dont support it. And yes i have played it and my little kids play it now. It is a great recreational sport in the USA. But that is what it will always be. Facts are if you compare the attendence numbers of a local football or basketball game to soccor game soccor does not match up what so ever. People are always going to spend their entertainment dollars on these other sports. It hurts when you try to build an entire league on only one player who in the end doesn't even play. We will see you on saturdays at the local school wacthing our young kids play soccor!

Conspiracy Theorist | 8:08 p.m. Sept. 12, 2007

I believe the huge push for soccer popularity in the U.S. is correlated to the push for a North American Union by the powers that be, between The U.S., Canada, and Mexico. It makes perfect sense if you think about it- wouldn't it be easier to combine the three in nationality, currency (the Amero) and culture if there was a universal sport? The powers that be (the illuminati and perhaps even extra-terrestrials) know exactly what they are doing in terms of orchestrating this convergence. That is why soccer should be avoided- not because nobody watches it, but because it is an an anti-American tool.

Enjoy soccer | 8:15 p.m. Sept. 12, 2007

I have no "hatred" towards soccer. I have hatred towards degrading our education, our infrastructure and our public works for a private enterprise that can't support itself.

I am all for public investment IF it is a good investment.

otherwise its just another tax grab for the rich kids.

Head of reason | 8:41 p.m. Sept. 12, 2007

It's not only going to be used for soccer! Concerts and other events will be held there as well. And to you the "tax payer", the taxes come mostly from hotel taxes. This is not all about soccer. It will bring much more revenue than RSL games.

Right | 8:56 p.m. Sept. 12, 2007

I am with tax Payer:

I hope that they can use it for a whole lot of stuff besides soccor. As for Soccor I will see the rest of you on Saturdays at our public schools. Professional Soccor in Utah will be DEAD in (5) Years!!!! Unless we as tax payers bail it out again. Taxes are Taxes no matter who pays for them!

Genuinely Excited | 10:12 a.m. Sept. 13, 2007

I would cheerfully attend a RSL game- at gunpoint!!!!! Otherwise I would rather have my hand gnawed off in my sleep by a sewer rat. Soccer is dead and walking. I am an RM that served in a soccer-crazy country and even so, it couldn't be more boring!!! Nobody here cares about pro soccer. The proof lies in two facts: REAL has to give away a majority of its tickets to fill seats at games, and when you read through the article blogs on the Deseret News site, you see an overwhelming number of responses about football and basketball, but only maybe one or two about REAL, except for this article. Beckham's popularity in the U.S. stems from the movie "Bend it Like Beckham," not his soccer career. Are stadium name suggestions being taken? Here is mine: The Ghost Center!

wow | 11:25 a.m. Sept. 13, 2007

i have never read such blindly ignorant comments by a bunch of uneducated people in my entire life. soccer is dead? really, never mind the fact that they are building soccEr (spell it right, jesus) specific stadiums all over the country, never mind the fact that they are signing huge contracts with adidas (100m$), ESPN, FSC, and other tv networks. soccer is not gong anywhere for a lonnngggg time. i cant wait for another 5 years to pass so all you can piss and moan about how soccer is still around and how you want it to die and go away. im glad all you dont attend soccer matches, there is nothing more annoying than people who attend games that complain and whine about what they are watching. stay away from soccer with your ignorance and pessemism.

Soccor vs. Soccer | 11:44 a.m. Sept. 13, 2007

Did anyone else notice that those two people (tax payer and right) could not spell "soccer" correctly, yet they offer expert statistics and predictions that the sport will be dead within 5 years? It's mystifying to me to hear the complaints from these comments. I can't believe there are so many people that go out of their way to try to convince others that they should discontinue their excitement toward soccer. It is difficult to listen to any of these arguments because the points that are presented by the anti-soccer people are ridiculous. It was "the straw that broke the camel's back" when I read those two anti-soccer comments from the two gentlemen/ladies that could not spell soccer correctly.

Are you serious? | 11:49 a.m. Sept. 13, 2007

Beckham's only popular for a movie he wasn't really in? Get out from under the rock you seem to live in. Beckham is probably the most recognized name in the WORLD of sports. He didn't get there by having his name in in a B-grade movie.

How can all you people hate something you don't understand and won't take the time to either? I hate American football, but I don't trash on all the people who love it. I didn't grow up with soccer, I didn't serve a mission, I don't work for RSL, I can't play it myself, but I have come to LOVE the game. I have season tickets and am amazed at the athletiscism and talent needed to do what these pros do.

Can you imagine what our society would look like if we had to have 100% approval from EVERYONE before any money was spent on anything. We'd still be living in caves. Let the anger go, you'll live longer, and try juggling a soccer ball to release some of that pent up aggression.

There is a reason it's called "The Beautiful Game "

Sports Guy | 1:07 p.m. Sept. 13, 2007

Soccer is just a sport and their are a good amount of folks out there that do enjoy watching it. I have yet to figure out why Soccer stirs such emotions of hate. In my many years I have yet to see a badminton, bowling or roller derby discussion that stirs up such hatred. Relax their folks.

Their are multiple cities in this country that are currently fighting to get the next MLS franchise. There are owners that are ready to spend large amounts of money to have the opportunity to own a new team. I guess it could be argued that their is some sort of mass delusion that has taken hold and this money is just getting recklessly thrown at soccer do to a not explained phenomenon. If anyone wishes to present that point of view I would love to hear it.

Soccer is.... | 9:57 p.m. Sept. 16, 2007

Boring!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Soccer is.... | 10:31 a.m. Sept. 18, 2007

Awesome!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Cool Stadium | 10:46 a.m. Sept. 18, 2007

www.rslstadium.com I just checked out the website, what a cool looking stadium. How lucky are we to have such a landmark coming to Utah! What a great time to be a soccer fan.

zatopek | 3:35 a.m. Sept. 23, 2007

theres a kind of fashism about these anti soccer
statements in here...

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