Comments about ‘Cities in theater race dismiss county study’

Of course the cities would say that. They want something the county study says is not needed. Sandy will likely charge like a bull (bully) to get it through due to its GOP base in the legislature (Real Stadium, act II)

And the legislature will take the money from the county again because we voted in the same clowns to Capitol Hill.

It seems that the same greed that brought the crises to Wall Street and to the mortgage industry is operating in Salt Lake County and Sandy City. First of all, why did the study cost $300,000? Secondly, how do these government officials casually dismiss the findings of the study, saying "It doesn't apply to us"?

Amen to county resident. The theater is for the good of the state? Why is Salt Lake County the only one mentioned that might be a partner in funding?

We always seem to have people who are against any kind of progress. No development, whether it's Wal*Mart or theater or soccer stadium or zoo improvement or road improvement or new Trax line, escapes their criticism.

The new theaters in Sandy and Salt Lake will be a benefit to people living throughout the region. How many people attend the Shakespearian Festival in Cedar City every year, and yet, the population of that area is tiny.

People throughout the country flock to New York City to see Broadway plays in New York.

People throughout the Intermountain Region would flock to see Broadway plays in the Salt Lake Valley.

Hopefully, those who lack vision will not stand in the way of these projects like they so often try to do.

Not one cent of taxpayer money for this boodoggle!!!

Let's see, we have a study that shows no need. A private venture that is asking for public funds (which implies it isn't commercially viable on its own merits) and a publicly funded show piece.
I say, let the private venture do it without public funds (or not at all). If it is a glowing success then Salt Lake City can be ready to premtively start their idea before somebody else jumps on the bandwagon.
Oh, an how many people are really going to come to SLC from Green River to pay way too much money for a 1st run Broadway traveling show? My guess is, for any one show, 20 max.
This talk of the whole state's needs is nonsense. Use those public funds to instead sponsor Utah scripts, Utah actors, and Utah productions in the small theaters we already have. That would do much more to promote culture than sending Utah money to NYC!

SUUUEEEEEE!!! Here piggie piggie piggie. These theaters are nothing more than pork project proposed by Sandy and SLC. They will dismiss any study that doesn't support their money grubbing positions. The request for taxpayer $$ may not be there today but we all know it's comming. Once upon a time Hogle Zoo and Tracey Avaiary were only supported by ticket revenues.

What? The county spends $300,000 for a study and two cities in the county reject it because they don't like the results?

How is the $81 million going to be paid back? 2400 seats will require very high ticket prices to create a payback during the life of the structure and still pay for the ongoing costs for the productions.

$81 million projects like this ought to be on a referendum.

Why waste money on something like that? If we don't need it why build it? I can think of much better uses for that Money! We can already see Broadway shows in Utah!

I love theater probably more than the average person, but I think $81 million is too steep a price for a Broadway theater. We can already see great shows in the valley. I'm not against progress--but if we have money like that (which I doubt the state does), why not spend it on education or another more desperately needed resource?

Let's see -- we don't have enough money for necessities, such as road maintenance, but we have enough to give tax breaks to developers and soccer teams needing arenas?

I'm not against progress. I stated that the study indicated that the venue is not needed. SLC and Sandy will likely commission a study that says it is needed. Both will build one (with the county's money instead of their own, of course) and they'll pay through the nose to get an act bidding against each other.

SLC: We'll pay $500,000 for CATS
Sandy: We'll pay $600,000 for CATS
SLC: We'll pay $1,000,000 for CATS
CATS would go to the highest bidder.

This is exactly what Checketts is doing to book concerts into his free-public-money stadium. Bid HIGHER than the E Center, ES Arena, and USANA are willing to pay to steal the acts from them. You can only do that so long before CRASH...yes, remember the mess we are in now?

If an individual, company, or organization want to build a theater, fine. Just don't use my money to do it.

Like so many of these projects, I get to pay for in tax mony, but I can't use it because I can't afford the cost of admission. Is this just pork barrell for our elite citizens ?

So Mayor Becker hasn't seen the study yet dismisses it outright? Still the talk is about the price of building it. Even IF they could build it with private money, the taxpayers will be stuck with the operating losses which, over time, will make the $81.5 million look like chump change. Let's not forget that the operating plan for the REAL stadium included 17 sold out concerts to break even. 17 concerts that sell 20,000 tickets. Know how many concerts sold even 12,000 seats or more last summer at USANA? 2. That's right. Checketts will be back asking for operating subsidy within the year. The new theater backers can stand in line behind him.