Rocky accused of being spoiler
Anderson released a proposal Wednesday that echoes his pitch last year for Real Salt Lake to build its stadium at the Utah State Fairpark on Salt Lake's west side. On Thursday, he said he just wants to make sure the team stays in Utah.
"The Real partners are very committed to staying in Utah if they can work out a feasible deal, and that includes one that is supported by the public," Anderson said. "I don't think there's any way the public would support a proposal for the stadium where a city wants to use everybody else's money, and I think we've come up with a solution to that major objection."
That "solution" includes $17.5 million in hotel-room taxes from Salt Lake City that Anderson wants the team to repay beginning in 2012 either with cash or in-kind promotions to the Salt Lake Convention and Visitors Bureau.
Additionally, Anderson wants to form a community-development area at the Fairpark and siphon the city's share of property and sales taxes from stadium improvements back to the site. He also wants the state to lease the land to the team for 50 years or sell it with the option of repurchasing the land. The mayor thinks his proposal takes advantage of a ready fan base, proximity to downtown hotel rooms and existing parking facilities.
House Speaker Greg Curtis, R-Sandy, and Sen. Curt Bramble, R-Provo, questioned the timing of Anderson's plan. The legislators worked on two bills during the 2006 session that expanded funding options for the team to build with public money in Sandy.
"I've never been able to figure out what's driving Rocky Anderson," Curtis said. "This discussion's been going on for over a year. Real purchased the land in Sandy six months ago and it's literally days before Sandy presents a formal presentation to the county. Is that a coincidence? No."
Last October, Real officials announced plans to build the stadium on 20 acres in Sandy. Real's plan sought $35 million in hotel room taxes from Salt Lake County and $10 million in community development area dollars from Sandy.
But in May, county Mayor Peter Corroon said interest payments on the county's loan were too high for him to support it because the county would have paid $87.5 million over the life of the loan. Sandy officials will pitch a revised plan to the county Tuesday, proposing additional money to cover the debt that the county would have incurred.
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