Deseret News | Real Salt Lake: Goodbye and good riddance to Rice-Eccles

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Real Salt Lake: Goodbye and good riddance to Rice-Eccles

A.L. Martin | 6:36 a.m. Oct. 5, 2008

Since I live out of state, I was looking forward to seeing a photo of the new stadium. Why didn't you include it with this article?

Umm | 7:56 a.m. Oct. 5, 2008

You can go look it up

Soccor | 8:41 a.m. Oct. 5, 2008

is for girls...and even then, only girls who want sports injuries almost guaranteed to affect them long term!

Comments continue below

oussan | 9:18 a.m. Oct. 5, 2008

Now we'll get to see whether RES gave RSL an advantage, through its narrow pitch and awkward surface, or a disadvantage by forcing the team to adjust to different playing surfaces more or less every other game.

RES is an essential part of the RSL tale, and I'm glad to have been there for much of the telling. I can't wait to see the rest of the story unfold at Rio Tinto Stadium - the envy of the league!

A.L. Martin: look up the stadium's website. You'll find great pictures there.

Chaco | 9:46 a.m. Oct. 5, 2008

3 games left, 2 at the new stadium, 1 at Colorado.

I've taken my family to many games at the Rice Eccles Stadium and we've always tried to make the 4th of July Fireworks games. We had season tickets to the Blitz matches as well as the to the inaugural season with RSL. We loved every minute, even the losses, the rain, Mathis taunting us after joining the Red Bulls.

We saw many goals of the week, Jason Kreis breaking records on the goal count. We cheered, shouted, gave friendly advise to the referees, and encouraged our team to fight.

I can only hope that Thursday will match the intensity and fervor we've come accustomed to. We'll be in the stadium, driving down from Idaho and flying in from Houston. Viva Real!

Stadium intensity? | 11:05 a.m. Oct. 5, 2008

Its gonna be like nothing this state has ever experienced.

I hope the Red Bulls bring their A-game, they're gonna need it.

Juice Box Guy | 11:14 a.m. Oct. 5, 2008

I equate Rice Eccles to a best friend's house as a kid that you would frequent many times over the years. Felt comfortable there, had lots of fun memories, knew everything about the place, but it was never really yours...

Hope we continue to bring the intensity of the fans and the home field advantage with the new stadium (the TINT or is it the RIO) and Thursday night cant come quick enough.

Spelling is overrated | 12:29 p.m. Oct. 5, 2008

Spelling is for girls...... and even than, only girls who want to sound educated.

Huh? | 12:31 p.m. Oct. 5, 2008

I thought the Utah Starzz got kicked out of Utah. Now they built them a stadium? Did the taxpayers par for it because I thought nobody went to the games? I guess the pigeons around here need a place to live to.

Soccer Fan! | 2:41 p.m. Oct. 5, 2008

I give it 1 full season before the new stadium is broke from non-attendance and the State has to dump more money into that waste. I am an optimistic person, but I think this new statium is that bad of an idea. Its a sure failure.

Cowboy | 3:37 p.m. Oct. 5, 2008

I give it one full season of full attendance before we're all talking about expanding the stadium.

2 things | 3:53 p.m. Oct. 5, 2008

Two things are certain next season. RSL will have their best team yet and they will be playing in the best stadium in MLS. Awesome.

Coach D | 4:01 p.m. Oct. 5, 2008

The largest in numbers and the fastest growing sport in America today is Soccer. It was not that way 20 years ago when I grew up. This is the wave of the future. I think the stadium is a great idea and it will succeed!!!!

Flags and banners | 4:08 p.m. Oct. 5, 2008

Everyone bring lots of flags, banners, scarves, etc to the game this Saturday. Let's get the chants going early and make Rio Tinto the most feared place in MLS.

REAL lame | 5:03 p.m. Oct. 5, 2008

What a tremendous waste of tax dollars. Just like George Bush's war, I think all of you who support this stadium should pay for it.

Re: spelling is for girls | 5:09 p.m. Oct. 5, 2008

Why not use even THEN, not even THAN in your criticism of a prior post. THEN you may sound educated.

Re; I give it... | 5:23 p.m. Oct. 5, 2008

"I give it 1 full season before the new stadium is broke from non-attendance and the State has to dump more money into that waste. I am an optimistic person, but I think this new statium is that bad of an idea. Its a sure failure."

Count your words as marked. Would you like fries with that?

Boo | 5:43 p.m. Oct. 5, 2008

I cant wait for the opener in the stadium! That looks sooooo amazing. The only thing i am worried about is the parking..

Soccor? wow

Flags and banners | 5:51 p.m. Oct. 5, 2008

i would but i dont have flags or scarfs.. Where would i be able to get these? team gear possibly? fanzz?

sold out? | 6:01 p.m. Oct. 5, 2008

ok so I know that the first game at the stadium is already sold out...
But does anyone know if there are still tickets available for the following week?

Just what we needed | 6:07 p.m. Oct. 5, 2008

Our tax $ tied up in a stadium in the middle of a recession.

Utah education system | 6:59 p.m. Oct. 5, 2008

Spell check alert!!! Why do any of you care? Spellnig is knot taht impertant. talk about the article not spelling.

James | 7:38 p.m. Oct. 5, 2008

I think they have scarfs at fanzz. I know for sure you will be able to get them at the game.
And all you soccer haters... Learn how to spell!

tax dollars | 8:13 p.m. Oct. 5, 2008

hmmm.. unless i stay in a hotel in salt lake county i wont have to pay for the stadium.. Sounds like a good deal to me.

haters: you are probably over the age of 50 and are the same people who say things like snowboarders are PUNKS! get a life
Soccer for life

soccer is for girls | 8:19 p.m. Oct. 5, 2008

there are over 2.1 billion people that disagree with you. (how many watched the final of the world cup)

GO RSL
GO JAZZ
GO BYU FOOTBALL

Not for Gov't Waste | 8:45 p.m. Oct. 5, 2008

There is a farce if I ever saw one. A government subsidized stadium the taxpayers built and Checketts gets to keep the money from concessions, tickets and the naming rights.

How about Rio Tinto paying the $35 million back to the county instead of to Checketts jet-set mentality.

I'm under 50 | 9:26 p.m. Oct. 5, 2008

And I can't stand soccer. What financial model is going to support that stadium during the months when there is snow in the stadium?

Utah Hillbillies | 9:41 p.m. Oct. 5, 2008

Let's see:

Rio Tinto Stadium ?? What the heck is a Rio Tinto ?? Worst name for a stadium - soccer or otherwise.

Real Salt Lake? - Voted dumbest name in all of Major League Soccer, which is quite an accomplishment considering you have the Columbus Crew.

Utah Jazz? - Quite possibly for most inappropriate nickname in all of sports.

a Neutral local sports person | 10:18 p.m. Oct. 5, 2008

This is actually a pretty good deal. The most modern stadium, likely to be looking frequently at some Team USA action. Also, consider that Real Madrid will be coming next year. I think it will be more positive than negative as many people paint it here. Football is my favorite sport, but I am more than ready to give some love and support to a local team, and to go watch some games with the kids to a stadium which receives accolades as one of the most modern in the country.

MadMax | 10:41 p.m. Oct. 5, 2008

While I like soccer, I do not like tax dollars funding a private enterprise. I hope RSL is successful, but the deal with Checketts was a mistake.

#31 | 7:18 a.m. Oct. 6, 2008

The opening match is not even close to being sold out. On Friday, there were good seats to be had in the first 5 rows. Why is it that this hyped opening at the new stadium in Sandy is NOT sold out? Where is the love soccer fans? Could it be the price of tickets, the location in Sandy, the parking mess, the negative client experience, or simply that no one cares to see RSL miss the playoffs yet again. So many questions.

Re #31 | 1:41 p.m. Oct. 6, 2008

UIm... there are under a thousand tickets left for this game and it is still 4 days away...
People like you amaze me, why cant you just accept that the stadium is nice, here, and DID NOT TAKE YOUR TAX DOLLARS (unless you live in a hotel, then i am pretty sure there are other issues you need to deal with)
oh, and thanks for making this article popular haters:)

#33 | 6:34 a.m. Oct. 7, 2008

Um, sans 'l"; like dude, what's your point? I did not mention TAX DOLLARS. About a thousand tickets left is not sold out and they are having to advertise on TV to sell more tickets? The point is that the economy, the location, the parking and the client experience are all concerns of the soccer fan and possible reasons that the game is not sold out. By the way, I love soccer - REal' Salt Lake is ok too.

Tax money | 7:46 a.m. Oct. 7, 2008

At least here you can give your tax dollars for something entertaining. We all just gave $700 billion to CEO's of failing business owners.

bobcat | 11:18 a.m. Oct. 7, 2008

I am driving up from St. George for the game on Thursday, and I for one, will be glad to pay an extra 50 cents for my hotel room so I can sit in the beautiful new stadium! Looking up at Salt Lake County form afar, it disgusts me when I see how many ignorant people are still whining about "their tax dollars". If you live in SLC, chances are, it's not your tax dollars. You most likely never stay a night in a hotel in your home county. It is my tax dollars that are going to this stadium, and every time I go up to SLC (about 5 or 6 times a year), I help pay for the stadium, along with all the other out of county visitors. Quit your whining! It is not your money, it is mine, and I for one, am glad. It's not only Checketts that profits from this stadium, but also every gas station I stop at, every restaurant I eat at, and every store I shop at along the way. This stadium benefits the whole state!

Go RSL! I can't wait to be there for the stadium opener this Thursday!

JVC-RSL | 4:31 p.m. Oct. 7, 2008

well said bobcat.

Im amazed.... | 4:35 p.m. Oct. 7, 2008

how many people care.

Me, not being a soccer fan, just invested 5 minutes reading this article, then reading the posts, and now posting.

I have to say....any publicity is good publicity.

Good for you Real Salt Lake. Good for you Dave Checketts.

Woo Hoo | 4:38 p.m. Oct. 7, 2008

Can't wait for the first 0-0 draw. Ya gotta love it, baby!!

john | 9:21 p.m. Oct. 9, 2008

Soccer is like watching cement dry.
The guy from St George will find it's not a 50 cent room tax, that's just the subsidy for the new Larry Miller Baseball Stadium...oops! I mean the Real Soccer Stadium. The real tax is close to 12.00.
Who ever said the tax money belonged to the taxpayer.
Given the current economy, they will be lucky if they just lose a couple of million this season, of course our buddies on the hill will bail them out.

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Real Salt Lake: Goodbye and good riddance to Rice-Eccles

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Real Salt Lake: Goodbye and good riddance to Rice-Eccles