Comments about ‘Mormon leaders and Salt Lake City work together to transform land’

"They seem always to get their way even when in the long term it's not going to be a good thing and runs counter to well-established urban planning principles," says former Salt Lake City Mayor Ross "Rocky" Anderson.

I suppose Rocky is bent out of shape because the Church, unlike virtually everyone else, did not cower and roll whenever he wanted to get HIS way.

Also, as an institution, the Church has experience in establishing - from scratch - over 500 settlements throughout the West and beyond. These efforts span one-and-a-half centuries. Show me a single organization responsible for more urban planning than the Church. Yet, apparently, Rocky knows better what is going to be a good thing in the long term.

Thanks Rocky! You really know how to bring people together.

Rocky Anderson is so misguided. I doubt I would spend much time in any city that he controlled the development. On the other hand, I can hardly wait for the City Creek development to be completed. It will be a wonderful addition to downtown Salt Lake City. And the LDS Church - which has a very long investment time horizon - will still be investing in Salt Lake City long after the Rocky Anderson's of the world are but names on a tombstone.

Would love to see that building segment reach to other areas in the US and world where the city governments have let downtowns degrade to the point of becoming ghost towns. Be happy that you have a valued partner who sees the worth of creating a multi-functional zone that has many great aspects to it.

Bravo!

Thank you to the LDS church and its inspired vision for this great state! Notwithstanding Anderson's attempts to impede every step along the way.

Why do the Papers give Rocky print, when the consensus says the guy is looney tunes? Rocky was the WORST mayor in the history of SLC and SLC is the Detroit of the West because of the long line of Democratic Mayors who have ruined SLC.....just walk down State Street and see all the empty buildings that were once thriving business....Kick Becker out with Obama!! And watch the City thrive!

Most cities would glow with envy in having this kind of a partner. The northwest could certainly use a few of them. Truly Salt Lakers are lucky to have such a fine partner.

I don't think Becker is a bad mayor. He is doing much good for the city. He is no Rocky Anderson. Things got a little rocky for awhile but SLC is over it. Why is Rocky still in SLC?

Rocky just can't help himself when it comes to spewing forth his hate of the LDS Church. Even if the Church does anything good you will hear none of it from Rocky. Why? Because he hates the church and he hates members of the LDS Faith.

Becker is right:

"If the LDS Church was not so sensitive and responsive to community concerns, that could be a problem," says Salt Lake City Mayor Ralph Becker. "But in my experience, at the Legislature and on the Planning Commission, the LDS Church has bent over backward to try and be responsive to community goals – and to a community vision that isn't necessarily the same as what their vision is." -Ralph Becker

When people get together and seek a best solution to a problem, things usually turn out right. Thanks to the LDS Church's contribution and concern for good, quality/fun businesses, and the GREAT people, Salt Lake is a great place!

-oh yeah, and I am glad that Rocky Anderson is gone. He was pretty backwards-thinking and anti-everything. I remember him complaining about the traffic and parking issues that arose from folks coming in from Davis County to visit and play downtown. Isn't that a GOOD problem to solve?

Rocky = Sour grapes

He just hates to admit the win/win results of the partnership. So he thinks that slinging mud somehow makes his legacy look better. Hah!

I travel weekly in my line of work and I see my share of cities which have major issues of neglect, crime, disorganized development, or the thinnest veneer of vibrancy covering an otherwise dead downtown. Cincinnati has been up and down in the last 20 years, Baltimore has an edge as soon as you get a block away from the Inner Harbor, Los Angeles is safe from jaywalking (but what about Inglewood and Compton?), and there are more on the list of places that need money and a good plan based on making sure people can go downtown without any reasonable fear.

San Francisco is a wonderful place to walk around. So is Manhattan. Seattle and Portland seem to be doing well - I'm sure there are individual anecdotes that corroborate what I've said, and others that are opposite, so this list is not the last word. The facts are, though, that flight from downtown is a widely-experienced phenomenon with a few tried and true prescriptions, that mayors (not the Feds) have the responsibility to guarantee safety for citizens and visitors, that police need to be nice but firm, and then we can enjoy a stroll downtown!

It is a shame that the church is trying to homogenize downtown. They have the $ and political power to do it, but it doesn't make it a good thing.

I no longer have a hard time recalling who Rocky Anderson is.

why can't the lds church just be stick with religion and quit obsessively always expanding it's reach all over Utah.

and business don't mix!!!

Rocky???. What evidence do you present that repblican mayors have or would make a difference for the economic development of state street? You sound like a bigotted, narrow minded geek who thinks only good ideas can come from republicans. From the view of this old native Utah and conservative resident, President Obama's views for helping improve the lot of humanity is much more closely aligned to the views of the LDS Church leadership than say President Bush's leanings toward the welfare of the wealthy elite in this country.

Thank you David Burton for your good work. SLC is a great city and even more so because of your work.

I like Rocky Anderson as a person. I believe in some of his causes. He represents a voice that needs to be heard. I just wish he knew how to do it in a way that created progress rather than division.

Mayor Becker creates progress without division. I'm a huge fan.

I am continually amazed at the number of people anxious to criticize anything the Church does.

As an outsider, from California, I look forward to the completion of City Creek. It will be an ongoing boon to the community, bringing dollars that would otherwise not be spent in SLC.

It would behoove government's everywhere, Utah included, to follow the LDS Church's business model of pay as you go.

Greed and cohesion between corporate American and corrupt government's (at the city, county, state, & federal level) caused economic recession to develop over several decades. Tax and spend does not bring prosperity. Borrowing from our children's future earnings is even worse.

In my opinion, the Church offers the only gleamer of "hope" for "change" in this self-serving world. Anywhere one travels in the world, the Church has a dramatic effect on both individuals and communities.

Teaching people to plan for their future (both temporally and spiritually) prepares us to be both fiscally and morally responsible citizens.

This leads to true freedom and liberty, not dependence upon manmade bureaucracies.

The church settled and basically CREATED Utah! It was desert land that no one wanted. They created settlements and farms in the beginning, and have continued to improve the state ever since. I am always amazed at the people who complain about the church in Utah. You had to know what it was when you moved there. If you don't like the church, there are 49 other states to move to that don't owe such a debt to the church for their very existence. And I don't even live in Utah! Just get tired of the complaining...you can't seriously be surprised or expect the church to just back away. They came far away from everyone to create a home for themselves, and they are there to stay. If you don't like it, MOVE! You are welcome in 49 other places!

Ralph DO NOT give the LDS Church public areas in exchange for something else no matter how great it might seem . Salt Lake City STREETS need to remain Salt Lake City streets and not the property of the LDS Church . They dont respect freedom of speech and if they cant control it they buy it or exchange it so they can do as they please . The LDS Church can buy any property they want but its time for the city to NEVER EVER do the type of thing they did with Main Street. NEVER AGAIN . Learn from your mistakes .