Deseret News | Stadium is fielding money

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Doug Robinson: Stadium is fielding money — from us

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Be aware of mis-leaders | 7:36 a.m. Nov. 7, 2007

"..decline in pro soccer attendance nation wide.."

This was the best year for MLS, attendance wise, since the inaugural season in 1996.

MLS regular season attendance for the past 3 years:

2005 - 15,108
2006 - 15,504
2007 - 16,770

Bamboozled | 9:55 a.m. Nov. 7, 2007

We have all been bamboozled by the Governor and his band of misfits in the legislature. Huntsman and any other Stadium thief will NEVER get my vote. Hopefully the MAJORITY of us that strongly opposed this deal have long memories.

Also, please don't say it didn't affect us because it was from transient room tax. That is the most flawed argument I have ever heard. They took the money from the coffers that could have been used on more pressing needs and sunk it into a stadium that not many support. It doesn't matter where the money came from, it isn't available for other projects.

If you support the stadium, thats fine. I won't change your mind and you won't change mine. I just hope those of us that didn't want this (And thats over 70% of us if Dan Jones Polls are to be believed) will remember when future elections come up. That's the beauty of democracy right.

Lastly, to those of you who live in SLC and are supporting your tax dollars going to the Stadium, I sure hope you voted yes to the new Public Safety building yesterday. If not, your priorities are way out of whack!

We aren't paying for it??? | 9:59 a.m. Nov. 7, 2007

To all you who think your not paying for it your just plain wrong. The Hotel tax that could have been spent on other projects has been diverted to a stadium. Your tax dollar will pick up the short fall in the other areas.

Let me assure you, Visitors to the state are not paying for it, you are!

Comments continue below

RDJ | 10:39 a.m. Nov. 7, 2007

Great article Doug.

If the soccer stadium will be such a financial success why were private investors not willing to finance it 100%? It should bring them a great return on their investment if it turns out as successful as Dave Checketts and other claim.

Anonymous | 2:59 p.m. Nov. 7, 2007

If the owner were Larry Miller and the exact same scenerio occurred Robinson would be singing his praises. Let go of it Robinson. We're sick and tired of your complaining about soccer.

And one thing more--where do you get some of your best track athletes from? The soccer team. You should know since you recruit some of your best runners at Alta High from the soccer team.

Jim Janney | 10:02 p.m. Nov. 7, 2007

"Jim is wrong" is correct in noting that there are restrictions on how transient room tax funds can be spent. However, a soccer stadium is hardly the only tourism related project that the county could fund, if it were allowed to make its own decisions. Now, and for the next twenty years, any other eligible projects will either have to go unfunded or be paid for out of other revenues. The fact remains: we are paying for this.

RSL FAN | 9:25 a.m. Nov. 8, 2007

Anyone notice that this article was posted on ELECTION DAY! Talk about beating a dead horse into the ground. I feel that this paper has had an agenda against the stadium from the start. Fact is that they should cover what is happening on the field more, so that people will come to the games more and continue to build a great community atmosphere with RSL, just like we have with the Jazz. Everyone should thank Dave Checketts because he had the vision to bring a team here at a time when the league probably could have easier gone to a bigger market. Now cities like Vegas, Milwaukee, Seattle, Philadephia, Portland, and Atlanta are lining up and scrabbling to get a team. Yeah and I can guarantee you that all will need to have a stadium deal in place before that happens AND it will probably cost the public a lot more that what Salt Lake will pay. For the record, the Toronto stadium was paid by 100% public financing and New Yorks Stadium will cost a lot more in public financing that what SLC got.

Jen | 9:30 a.m. Nov. 8, 2007

Thanks for your comments. Could not agree more with Doug. This issue just boils my blood.
And what will happen? Nothing. We'll just keep paying higher and higher taxes.
Larry Miller didn't get his stadium paid for did he? Why should golden boy Dave Checketts?
I simply don't get it. This is a losing proposition.
Thanks for calling a spade a spade.
Terrible.

bored with topic | 10:09 a.m. Nov. 8, 2007

yawn

Anonymous | 10:51 a.m. Nov. 8, 2007

I agree with all the people that denounce Doug Robinson's short-sided opinions. He seems to be a very suspicious and angry person.

RSL FAN | 2:27 p.m. Nov. 8, 2007

With everyone complaining about how our politicians dont want to fund public schools, did anyone realize that the TRT Tax will actually generate excess revenue that will pour into the Jordan School District for the next 30yrs. It appears that the lions share of this fund will go to the school district and a minor percentage will go to the RSL stadium. Not to mention the 20 million bucks that went to the stadium that would have been used to build a PARKING LOT for the Expo Center. At least now the parking will be on the stadium grounds and we get to have both. Quit your complaining and go to www.rslstadium.com to get the facts people. Lets not forget the "embarassment" of having Peter Coroon announcing a stadium deal in front of David Beckham than rennegging months later. Talk about integrity, lying, a just "trying to be a politician" to look good.

Lost respect | 4:33 p.m. Nov. 9, 2007

I use to like Doug Robinson's articles but find it to be very rare that I do anymore. We get it, you hate soccer, the stadium deal,the BCS, and Michael Vick as that is all you ever seem to write about anymore! Well as much as you hate soccer is as much as I hate seeing another one of your boring articles on cross-country running. From what I've heard you seem to be quite narcissitic and controlling. Try taking a deep breath and find something else to complain about.

Lost respect for him | 4:55 p.m. Nov. 9, 2007

I use to like Doug'd articles buy rarely do so now. We get it! You hate soccer, the stadium deal, the BCS, and Michael Vick/Vince Young. As much as you hate soccer is as much as I hate reading another one of your boring cross-country running articles. Try finding a new subject to complain about.

CincyUte | 11:32 a.m. Nov. 10, 2007

Wine, complain, and moan. That's all everyone did when the light-rail plan was approved. Like RSL stadium, the light-rail was met with strong
public disapproval. However, once up and running the light-rail has been a fantastic addition to the county and people have changed their minds about it. The same will happen for RSL stadium.

Repect No More | 3:09 p.m. Nov. 10, 2007

I used to love Doug's articles but no more. The Sandy Stadium will be great for the community and the state.

Delta Center Facts | 12:29 p.m. Nov. 11, 2007

It's painful to see who bitter so many people are towards soccer. It is the sport that the world embraces, and yet we scorn it. The most watched game in the nation is not, as many would believe, the Super Bowl, but rather the Mexico vs. U.S. National soccer game. The sport is continually growing, and seeing how it doesn't interfere with other U.S. sports, why not embrace it?

As for those that say Larry Miller payed for his stadium, I would suggest you check your local records. The stadium WAS publicly funded, and Larry still has a few more years before it is paid off. Everyone enjoyed the winning years with Stockton and Malone, that we forget the numerous terrible seasons the Jazz had. There was a time when Miller planned on selling the team, and he even went so far as to sell shares of ownership in the team. Real is having a rough start, just as the Jazz, but with our support whey will grow in the sport. Embrace the growth, and be open minded. Also, think of the job opportunities the stadium is and will create.

stadium being built | 6:42 p.m. Nov. 12, 2007

ha ha suckers the stadium is being built whether you like it or not. Get over it doug! Soccer is here to stay.

Wow | 6:07 a.m. Nov. 15, 2007

As a former DesNews subscriber I'm not surprised that Mr. Robinson is back at it again writing on one of the only subjects that he has found interesting in the past two years. So he hates soccer, we get it. So he thinks the stadium is a bad deal for the public, we get it.

Well, Mr. Robinson has been heard loud and clear on numerous occasions as well as his cronies over at DesNews.

Some of us would like to be heard as well. We're sick of having to have our subscription fees and advertising dollars go to fund bad reporting. Quite plainly we're tired of the same old stories from you Mr. Robinson. We the readers don't get to vote on your continued employment, but if we did, we'd take our money and spend it on some more accurate, informative, and interesting reporting. There must be something else you could write about rather than continue to estrange more and more readers from your column and from the DesNews.

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