This is an archived article that was published on sltrib.com in 2006, and information in the article may be outdated. It is provided only for personal research purposes and may not be reprinted.
Posted: 2:42:27 PM- Salt Lake County officials are putting the finishing touches on a deal that would put a Major League Soccer stadium in Sandy and keep Real Salt Lake in Utah.
Now, it's up to the team to say yes - and Sandy Mayor Tom Dolan expects that to be RSL's answer.
Team brass are expected to obtain a copy of the terms by late this afternoon. There could be a ceremonial groundbreaking Saturday - RSL officials reaffirmed this week they would like visiting soccer superstar David Beckham to do the honors - before the team plays an exhibition match against Real Madrid.
"I think we'll have a deal," Salt Lake City Mayor Rocky Anderson said this afternoon. "The terms that are before the county make this absolutely a no-brainer."
RSL will gain $55 million in subsidies - $10 million more than county leaders previously rejected. But the total includes less from hotel taxes, making it more palatable to county number crunchers.
Dolan confirmed the terms of the deal:
- $20 million slated for a parking garage at the South Towne Exposition Center now would go toward joint parking at the stadium.
- $20 million in hotel taxes will back two bonds, the first issued in 2011 and the second in 2015.
- $15 million in redevelopment funds from Sandy.
The deal is projected to leave $70 million or more in hotel taxes for other projects, including a downtown Salt Lake City performing arts center with a Broadway theater, a reserve fund for the Salt Palace, money to promote tourism and possibly other projects.
Under the deal, RSL would:
- Donate $7.5 million toward a soccer and baseball complex in northwest Salt Lake City.
- Build a soccer academy on state-owned land near that sports complex.
- Erect an environmentally friendly stadium.
- Contribute tickets to elementary students.
- Promote literacy.
- Contribute $1 million a year in in-kind tourism promotion.
The resolution comes a day after two hours-long meetings held at Salt Lake City Hall and the governor's mansion. State leaders were involved to OK the transfer of parking funds from South Towne to the stadium package.
And they reiterated that if the county didn't find a way to fund the stadium, the state would take back the hotel tax money.
Salt Lake City is helping fund some of the stadium subsidies because it put $8 million toward the South Towne parking garage. Anderson said that still "stings" - he wanted the stadium in his city. But "we're going to get a very good return on our investment. This is all a huge positive for Salt Lake City."
"We had some issues that seemed insurmountable," Dolan said. "But I think we crossed that bridge now."