Deseret News | Real Salt Lake stadium nears completion

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Real Salt Lake stadium nears completion

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My right to post | 2:27 p.m. June 24, 2008

Great pre-emptive "You-can't-post-about-RSL-boondoggle-because-it-hirts-my-soccer-loving-feelings" posts, but I'm gonna do it anyway, because the local government has NO BUSINESS spending $100 MILLION of - yes, MY TAX DOLLARS - on ANY sport, much less one with such limited appeal as soccer has. If soccer is such a great deal, let PRIVATE ENTERPRISE do its job and build the stadium with PRIVATE FUNDS. Of course, I'm a big Scottish Games fan (true story), and as long as they're handing out $100 Mil for any old project, regardless of relative profitability, then my kilt-wearing buddies and I have just as much claim as those in cleats and shorts, right? Let's get to it! Where can we put my stadium?

Lovin' it... | 2:31 p.m. June 24, 2008

Well, so far it's been Yewts up in arms about RSL attendance, Ignorant taxpayers that can't balance their own budgets, and Soccer fans that are excited about watching a game too complex for the prior two groups to comprehend.

Good old fashion fun!!

Re: Taxpayer Money | 2:35 p.m. June 24, 2008

Yay! RSL helped the government raise taxes on Utah tourists! Hooray! That's so great, because I LOVE TAXES! And...wait a minute...no, I don't. I HATE taxes, even if they're being paid by my fellow Americans and not by me. This is a boondoggle. Just another creative way for the government to line its bulging pockets unnecessarily with the hard-earned dollars of the U.S. taxpayer.

Comments continue below

Re: my right to post | 3:16 p.m. June 24, 2008

Ummm, you can't be serious. Tell you what, once you establish a Scottish Games league and that league grows and expands all over the country for the next 12 years, and once that league averages around 14,000 people per game, and once players from that league compete in the largest competition in world (assuming the Scottish Games World Cup becomes the most popular sport in the world)then you can ask the government to chip in a little bit of tourism tax for your stadium. Until then you can rent out the RSL stadium for your Scottish Games competitions. (RSL stadium will be used for other events other than soccer) And if you truly are a fan of Scottish sports you should support RSL, Scottland has some decent soccer teams. But you probably already knew that.

Re: Taxpayer Money | 2:35 p.m. J | 3:32 p.m. June 24, 2008

Please give me the evidence that the government raised taxes...? Oh wait they didn't. All they did was extend an existing tax, so tourists will not be paying anymore or any less than they already did. People are so ignorant when it comes to this issue it amazes me. NO ITS NOT YOUR TAX MONEY, PRIVATE ENTERPRISES ARE ALREADY SHELLING OUT MILLIONS OF DOLLARS TOWARDS THE PROJECT, DAVE CHECKETS IS SHELLING OUT MILLIONS OF DOLLARS TOWARDS THE PROJECT, THE TAX MONEY ISN"T EVEN GOING DIRECTLY TO THE STADIUM, ITS GOING TOWARDS INFRASTRUCTURE. Please people research the facts before you even start to complain because its getting really old, and I know you have all heard it before so when people keep saying the same thing over and over again you might think you would figure it out for yourself, but that would just be too darn complicated wouldn't it. GET OVER IT!

beautiful stadium | 3:42 p.m. June 24, 2008

It's hard to believe how these con men get this stadium for a minor league soccer team. Oh sorry, Major League Soccer. Geeze, why couldn't Dave be from Boise or somewhere else.

$100 million? | 3:49 p.m. June 24, 2008

Back away from the Glenfidditch.

$100 million is what the whole thing will cost, with Checketts and his financiers paying most of it. Taxpayers are in for, what, $10 million? Well, it's about the same as what taxpayers paid for the land that the Toxic Waste Terrace is on at 4th West & South Temple.

The taxpayers will pay $100 million for a new stadium for the Salt Lake Twins after Larry H Miller buys them and moves them here.

Real Salt Lake 4 Ever | 4:44 p.m. June 24, 2008

The new stadium is coming along nicely. I visit the website every day to see the progress. Tomorrow is the big day where I get to purchase my season tickets for the 2009 season. Extremely excited!!!!! RSL 4 Ever!!!

tommorw will be awesome | 5:01 p.m. June 24, 2008

they are putting the sod down on the ground... OUR PITCH IS COMING TO LIFE!!! i cant wait to see some pictures of that, i get shivers just thinkin about it.
REAL SALT LAKE!!!! go RSL

Bi-Polar Wannabe | 5:12 p.m. June 24, 2008

Sniffle Sniffle everyone! Keep feeling sorry for yourselves that a subset of Utah's population got what they wanted. Keep crying that you didn't get your way with the stadium or soccer team. Instead of using fact-based arguments, please keep whining that your tax dollars are being used, or revert back to the crystal ball argument that REAL will fold within 5 years (the same argument that you've used for the last 5 years). Keep bawling about how Dave Checketts got his way (although he didn't get nearly as good a deal as Larry did on EITHER of his stadiums).

I guess all I have to say is... Neener Neener! What does your daily whining about soccer accomplish? ABSOLUTELY NOTHING! We (subset) still have our soccer team and stadium! And you crying about it won't change a darn thing. So please... I beg you... keep wasting your time whining. It makes the rest of us appreciate the fact that our lives aren't that bad, cause hey... it could be worse... we could be like "that guy who's still crying about the stadium."

Re: Gary | 5:21 p.m. June 24, 2008

Don't give me the tax dollars come from tourist excuse...

Tax dollars are a giant shell game. There is only so much in the pot, and if some of it gets spent in one place, it affects the overall bottom line.

Doesn't matter where the taxes come from. There is only so much... The money would have been better spent on something worthwhile.

Soccer may be fun, but it is definitely not necessary. The federal government is trillions of dollars in debt because of this type of insightful spending.

Stenar | 5:40 p.m. June 24, 2008

They need to change their name to Real Sandy.

Re: Re: Gary | 5:57 p.m. June 24, 2008

This isn't the Federal Government's taxes buddy. And we all have different opinions about where tax money should be spent. I don't think tax money should be spent on universal health care, public school's from property taxes, welfare, social security, cable tv in prison, trax, and I could go on and on. But if everyone got their way every time, nothing would get done because we all have different opinions about where it should be spent. So when a tourist comes to visit Utah, and pays an extra $0.75 for their hotel room; and that money goes to fund Hogle Zoo, Theatre's, Ski Resorts, and Sports Stadiums; I don't have too much trouble sleeping at night for their $0.75 contribution. I also didn't feel guilty last month travelling to Florida and paying extra taxes to contribute to Disney World. Welcome to what is known as an organized society, democracy, life.

Anonymous | 5:59 p.m. June 24, 2008

Just picked me tickets as the new stadium and took the tour. It looks awesome. I can't wait for 2009 either. Enough people understand in Utah, and it's growing every year, that RSL is here to stay.

Nazdar | 5:59 p.m. June 24, 2008

Don't take all the seats! I don't get to go in to pick mine until Thursday.

RSL 2 KC 1

Official Fan Song | 6:12 p.m. June 24, 2008

I think the official fan's song should be the Misfits song "We are 138" only replace "138" with "ReAL Salt Lake". The song is very basic but boy oh boy will it sound awesome with 20,000 - 25,000 fans singing it together.

You may have another idea, but mine is better and we should all just agree and go with "We Are ReAl Salt Lake!"

brejol | 7:14 p.m. June 24, 2008

All this complaining about tax money from free loaders who don't pay any taxes. Unlike all the money that goes down the social program drain for things like WIC an foodstamps, This stadium is a long term investment that will give dividends for years to come.

RE:BREJOL | 7:26 p.m. June 24, 2008

Pay dividends for years to come? What happens when RSL folds and the county is still in debt with this stadium?

9th & K | 7:31 p.m. June 24, 2008

It should have been built on Earl Holding's abandoned lot near 400 South & Main.

brejol | 8:36 p.m. June 24, 2008

No taxation without representation? How about no representation without taxation? Let the people who pay into the system decide how their money is spent. And while were at it, let them decide who our next President will be. Ninety minutes of action with no commercials or timeouts. Learn to love it.

Pathetic | 8:47 p.m. June 24, 2008

All this talk of RSL not being able to fill up the stadium reminds me of a funny poster I saw. I said "Pathetic" in big bright letters and under that had a caption that said something like "When you set the standard really low, and consistently fail to achieve it." What made it so funny was a picture of Rice Eccles during a Ute Football game with less fans than the worst attended RSL game.

Thanks... | 10:05 p.m. June 24, 2008

construction teams, you've worked hard and it has and will pay off. All involved should be extremely proud of their work and have a great sense of accomplishment. Can't wait to get in there and find some answers - about where our team can go.

Wow | 11:32 p.m. June 24, 2008

When RSL finally got the stadium deal squared away I was happy. One, because I wanted to see them play on grass, two because I hate seeing all the UTAH football markings mess up what should be a pristine grass field (As a real UTE Fan unlike some so-called UteFan who posts his uneducated rants daily on this paper, I don't like yellow soccer lines on the field when I'm watching a football game either.) and three because the new location would cut about 20 min off my drive time to the games. Having toured the stadium twice now, I must say I am impressed. I didn't think the design would make much of a difference on how I would enjoy the game but I was wrong. This really is something to be proud of. More so than I would have ever imagined. Well done to all who were involved. Oh and by the way, I travel a lot for work and my company gives me the option to take my own car or get a rental when the destination is quicker than flying. I get a warm feeling inside every time I see the tourism tax on my bill.

Beautiful Stadium | 9:39 a.m. June 25, 2008

I don't care for soccer but the stadium looks great from State and the Freeway. I am more excited for some large, outdoor concerts. Once the league and RSL fold, we can turn the stadium into a large aquarium. Can you imagine Shamu in Sandy? It's gonna be great.

Stadium is coming | 11:26 a.m. June 25, 2008

Ready or not, Rsl is coming to Sandy. It will be awesome!Soccer is here to stay. Not only is a great for RSl, but it benefits the community in many ways. Look at the youth soccer programs that are starting to be developed. Look for more Utahns in the next 10 years to be playing professional soccer. Salt Lake will get name recognition with this incredible stadium, etc... Too much to list. Nothing against the Bees, but I can't imagine they will be nearly as profitable as RSL. Nor do they bring much attention to Utah. This new stadium will open so many possibilities with national soccer, MLS All-star game and so forth. I think you get my point. Go RSL.

JVC-RSL | 12:15 p.m. June 25, 2008

Can't wait for October 9.

got mine! | 2:16 p.m. June 25, 2008

I got my season tickets! Lets hear it for RSL!

Brandon | 7:03 a.m. June 26, 2008

Wow. I'm sending this from the Southeastern U.S. It sure is refreshing to see that my part of the country isn't the only one infested by paranoid rednecks and meatheads.

To all of the soccer haters on this board: I seriously doubt your tax dollars amount to anything significant. This stadium might be the best thing to happen to your area.

To all Ute football fans: You guys haven't been any good for a long time. Duke or Connecticut could stomp you. Not exactly a good vantage point to clown other fans from, is it? This team's average attendance is not too far off from what the Jazz bring in. Plus, RSL will sell more tickets that Utah football considering that the Utes will only have five or six home games. Stop being so stupid.

To RSL fans: I look forward to visiting your city to see the new stadium. I have to admit that I wouldn't have had a reason to visit otherwise. It looks to be one of the premier facilities for the sport in North America; Mexico included. Here's to hoping that the USMNT play there. You'll definitely get an all-star game or two.

Congrats

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