Rocky's RSL plan for Fairpark getting some GOP support
Anderson's move to place a Real Salt Lake soccer stadium at the Utah State Fairpark is drawing some cautious interest from state lawmakers who have often longed to help out the struggling quasi-state facility.
Take Howard Stephenson, R-Draper, who heads the Utah Taxpayers Association and is one of the most fiscally conservative lawmakers in the state. Stephenson said Thursday he doesn't want state money to help build a stadium in Murray, Sandy or Salt Lake City. But, he added, the Fairpark would be the most logical proposed Major League Soccer stadium candidate for state monies.
"If we were going to have a soccer stadium, this would be the most logical place," Stephenson said following a stadium presentation from Anderson at the City Library downtown.
State lawmakers have for years considered ways to improve the Fairpark and the Utah State Fair, which Stephenson called a "financial drain." If numbers showed a soccer stadium could help lessen that drain, Stephenson said he could consider some state funding.
Another GOP lawmaker, Rep. Steve Mascaro, R-West Jordan, agrees that the Fairpark could benefit from the stadium.
"(The Fairpark) hasn't been a real strong money maker," Mascaro told KSL-TV. "This might create some new opportunities over there so I think it's really worth giving some consideration to."
The West Jordan representative urged his fellow lawmakers not to let politics play into their decision making.
"I'd like to think that my fellow legislators will look to make decisions that are best for the community and not lets this be a political football where they are protecting geographic locations," he said.
And even without much study, Stephenson said he would back a plan to give the stadium a free multiyear lease at the Fairpark, if that's all Real Salt Lake was asking for.
RSL leaders are looking for more than a free lease, however.
A 25,000-seat soccer stadium would cost upward of $60 million and RSL has committed to pay for $30 million of those costs.
Anderson told a large group of public officials Thursday that local politicians need to step up with public funding. There are other communities around the nation that are more than willing to pony up if Utah isn't, he said.
Anderson called the meeting of city, county, state and business leaders to present his Fairpark idea, which replaced his earlier plan that would've put the stadium downtown next to the Grand America Hotel.
Many downtown advocates have lamented that fact that the city abandoned the downtown site, which they say would be a better spot for RSL in the long run.
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