RSL Stadium?.......Will it happen? - Page 6

SLC Projects · #**101** Posted **Jan 31, 2007, 5:00 PM**

Ok now if it was up to me here is a list of where i could build that stadium...

1.Fairgrounds in salt lake city. ( prefer over anyother site )
2.state and 9400 south in sandy. ( it's not downtown but at least it's still in the valley. )
3. Utah county in vineyard. ( not my top pick, but better there then losing the team to another state. )

Let's hope we can have it in one of these sites so utah can keep this team.

wrendog · #**102** Posted **Jan 31, 2007, 5:08 PM**

that is my list too slc.. of course anyplace to keep the team on the Wasatch Front will be good.. Hell, I would accept Ogden right about now..

Makid · #**103** Posted **Jan 31, 2007, 5:33 PM**

If the Fairpark deal doesn't work out, John Garff, President of Garff company, known for the Garff building and the Garff car dealerships says that he will do something for the stadium.

He stated that they are focused more on out of state expansion of the car dealerships but they would be willing to finance the stadium and perhaps a team.

They originally were looking at an MLS team 3 years ago but went with the Blaze as football was more stable.

There was a news article about it this morning. If I can find it again, I will post it here.

Makid · #**104** Posted **Jan 31, 2007, 5:36 PM**

http://www.sltrib.com/news/ci_5123653

Checketts gets league consent to shop team
Rocky says the RSL owner is showing interest in building a stadium at the Fairpark
By Michael C. Lewis,
Heather May
and Matt Canham
The Salt Lake Tribune
Article Last Updated: 01/31/2007 09:01:08 AM MST

Click photo to enlargeDave Checketts«1»Related
RSL Stadium
Jan 30:
Soccer: Winners and LosersRSL FutureGORDON MONSON: This soccer game needs a timeoutIf RSL leaves, will S.L. be able to attract another sports franchise?Mayor and owner trade barbs as House speaker urges county to move onLYA WODRASKA: RSL stadium plan simply far too taxingRSL: Players, coach and commissioner reactionJan 29:
Mayor Corroon's statementStadium deal is dead; Checketts may sell RSLJan 11:
Soccer plan: New concernsJan 10:
Soccer stadium site may be pollutedSoccer stadium: RSL boss says deal is 90% completeJan 9:
Checketts: Stadium deal far from deadJan 8:
House Speaker Greg Curtis: soccer stadium deal "dead"
If Dave Checketts sells Real Salt Lake, he is welcome to court potential buyers in St. Louis. But Utah's capital hopes to woo the team's owner to a place closer to home: the state Fairpark.
Major League Soccer has agreed to let Checketts explore St. Louis "as an option" for relocating his team, according to league sources.
In the St. Louis option, Checketts - who owns a National Hockey League team in the Midwestern city - likely would sell the team to a group led by attorney Jeff Cooper. These investors have been trying to land an MLS expansion franchise for the city. They also have been trying to negotiate a stadium deal that could include youth fields and a soccer academy in suburban Collinsville, Ill. - similar to the deal RSL hoped to work out in Utah.
League spokesman Dan Courtemanche declined to comment Tuesday on RSL, but acknowledged MLS has "had discussions with potential owners in St. Louis for the better part of two years."
Noting that the group had some 20 representatives in a luxury suite at the 2006 MLS All-Star Game in suburban Chicago, he added, "They're serious."
RSL executives have conceded they may sell the franchise, but aren't commenting on any possible move - except to say the team is committed to playing its 2007 season at Rice-Eccles Stadium, the final leg of a three-year deal at the University of
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Utah.
After that, RSL must find a new home because Salt Lake County Mayor Peter Corroon this week rejected a request for $30 million in hotel taxes to help fund a $110 million soccer stadium in Sandy.
Enter Salt Lake City and the Fairpark, a potential stadium site that was pitched before.
The City Council will hold an emergency meeting today to discuss soccer and is expected to send a letter to Checketts saying, "Let's get talking again," said Council Chairman Van Turner. "We're going to invite Real to hopefully stay in Utah, stay in Salt Lake City."
Sandy-based Anderson Development wants to keep RSL in the state by buying the team and moving it to Utah County.
Salt Lake City Mayor Rocky Anderson has been lobbying Checketts and state leaders, including Gov. Jon Huntsman Jr., on the Fairpark. The mayor said Monday the team owner is showing interest.
"He would be very willing to consider that if we could get the support from the governor and others at the state level to help make it possible," Anderson said.
The state owns the Fairpark, and either the Legislature or the Fairpark's board would have to agree to lease it to the team.
So far, state leaders are mum on the idea. The governor - who has expressed disappointment at Corroon's decision - talked to Checketts on Tuesday. And he pulled House Speaker Greg Curtis and Senate President John Valentine out of legislative meetings Tuesday morning to discuss RSL. Valentine described it as a "brainstorming" meeting. Another one is set for next week.
"There is no real plan out there at this point," the Orem Republican said. "We just want to see if there is anything we can do to keep soccer in Utah."
Curtis was adamant the state won't kick in money for the stadium. But, on Tuesday, the Sandy Republican didn't rule out capturing county taxes and diverting them to the stadium - though he issued a news release the day before stating he wouldn't "try to revive the project with legislation."
If the Fairpark idea fails, a Utah auto mogul, as before, would "definitely listen" to a potential stadium deal - and he's not Larry H. Miller.
John Garff, chief operating officer of Ken Garff Automotive Group, said Tuesday the auto empire has the resources to privately finance a stadium but that expanding dealerships outside Utah is a higher priority.
"We certainly would look at anything, but our primary focus is the Utah Blaze," said Garff, whose company bought the arena football club, instead of pursuing RSL in 2004. Garff, who calls MLS a "great product," said his company opted for football because it is "safer," and they could avoid the public-funding controversy.
"We have a good public image," he said. "We don't want to jeopardize that." To make the Fairpark work, Checketts would have to focus on a stadium only and forget the $650 million mixed-use development he had planned around a Sandy venue, Anderson said.
Anderson devised a Fairpark funding plan in June. It was never vetted - and it may not be what the city ultimately proposes. It called for the state leasing the Fairpark to RSL for 50 years and the county providing $17.5 million in hotel taxes. RSL would pay back the money in cash or through tourism promotion. The city would contribute extra property and sales taxes generated by the stadium.
"Soccer can and should be an important part of our state," Councilman Eric Jergensen said. "The public funding needs to make sense."
[email protected]
---
* DEREK P. JENSEN contributed to this story.

In the wake of the stadium-deal implosion, Salt Lake County Council leaders scrambled Tuesday to avoid punishment from state lawmakers. And that means spending the soccer money responsibly. The council unanimously agreed to support the "immediate construction" of a parking facility at the South Towne Expo Center with $20 million in hotel taxes allocated by the Legislature. At the same time, the council reaffirmed a written resolution - passed last year - that prevents the county from using the rest of the hotel taxes on anything unless or until it is authorized by the Legislature. While the measure will not become official until next Tuesday, county lobbyists were instructed to distribute the resolution on Capitol Hill immediately. - Derek P. Jensen

SmilingBob · #**105** Posted **Jan 31, 2007, 7:52 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by SLC Projects

Ok now if it was up to me here is a list of where i could build that stadium...

1.Fairgrounds in salt lake city. ( prefer over anyother site )
2.state and 9400 south in sandy. ( it's not downtown but at least it's still in the valley. )
3. Utah county in vineyard. ( not my top pick, but better there then losing the team to another state. )

Let's hope we can have it in one of these sites so utah can keep this team.

Why would this work in Salt Lake City when it couldn't work in Sandy?
SLC isn't going to put any public money into this, so how does RSL afford to locate in SLC?

Utaaah! · #**106** Posted **Jan 31, 2007, 7:57 PM**

I just received this e-mail from SLC:

Please note that Item 1 on Salt Lake City Council Agenda (Soccer Stadium discussion) for today Wednesday January 31, 2007 at 12:15 p.m. has been removed from the agenda.

Perhaps Checketts has nipped the Fairpark idea in the bud. I for one like the Fairpark location best -- it's in the team's namesake city, close to its fan base, near a future light rail line, could be used for the State Fair and other off season events, and would help revitalize a struggling neighborhood. Maybe Garff will step up and make this deal work.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Makid

Major League Soccer has agreed to let Checketts explore St. Louis "as an option" for relocating his team, according to league sources.

If the team moves to St. Louis, it won't even have to change its uniforms. RSL = Real St. Louis.

SLC Projects · #**107** Posted **Jan 31, 2007, 7:59 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by SmilingBob

Why would this work in Salt Lake City when it couldn't work in Sandy?
SLC isn't going to put any public money into this, so how does RSL afford to locate in SLC?

Cus there are alot of city leaders and business leaders that want to make this work out. We got salt lake, sandy, and utah county all trying to put the stadium in their city. Plus if checketts wants to sell the team there are business leading here in utah standing in line just waiting to place their bids. This isn't over yet.

SLC Projects · #**108** Posted **Jan 31, 2007, 8:00 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by SmilingBob

Why would this work in Salt Lake City when it couldn't work in Sandy?
SLC isn't going to put any public money into this, so how does RSL afford to locate in SLC?

Cus there are alot of city leaders and business leaders that want to make this work out. We got salt lake, sandy, and utah county all trying to put the stadium in their city. Plus if checketts wants to sell the team there are business leading here in utah standing in line just waiting to place their bids. This isn't over yet.

Utaaah! · #**109** Posted **Jan 31, 2007, 8:04 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by wrendog

Hell, I would accept Ogden right about now..

Ain't gonna happen, but Ogden would probably be a good place for soccer. The city has a large Hispanic population, has shown incredible support for its baseball team (stadium will be expanded soon), and is pumping serious dough into several downtown redevelopment projects -- why not add a soccer stadium to the mix. It seems to me a better fit than Utah County. But like I said, ain't gonna happen.

wrendog · #**110** Posted **Jan 31, 2007, 8:56 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by Utaaah!

Please note that Item 1 on Salt Lake City Council Agenda (Soccer Stadium discussion) for today Wednesday January 31, 2007 at 12:15 p.m. has been removed from the agenda.

ehhhh.. that doesn't sound good.. that either means checketts doesn't want to deal with anything, or he already has a buyer lined up.. if that's the case, let's hope it's the geneva steel boys not the lawyer in STL..

Makid · #**111** Posted **Jan 31, 2007, 9:09 PM**

The meeting was pushed back until later this week due to Rocky not wanting to air the discussion for the media. They did have an exectutive session today where they did talk about the stadium.

The open meeting will appear on the agenda for either Thursday or Friday and they will openly discuss what was talked about in the executive meeting.

Also, Gov. Huntsman did state that he and Checketts had been talking about the stadium and he did state that they did talk about specifics.

I am really hoping that they get something done quickly. Anticipation is the mother of all heart attacks.

delts145 · #**112** Posted **Jan 31, 2007, 9:17 PM**

Makid, thanks for the excellent updates, especially the Garff specific news. I wasn't aware of Garff as a possible benefactor.

SmilingBob · #**113** Posted **Jan 31, 2007, 9:18 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by Utaaah!

Ain't gonna happen, but Ogden would probably be a good place for soccer. The city has a large Hispanic population, has shown incredible support for its baseball team (stadium will be expanded soon), and is pumping serious dough into several downtown redevelopment projects -- why not add a soccer stadium to the mix. It seems to me a better fit than Utah County. But like I said, ain't gonna happen.

Ain't going to happen because . . .

If Checketts can't build his huge real estate development, owning an RSL team doesn't make sense. He knows he can't make money on RSL alone, but if he can build hotels, offices, and other facilities to generate income it does make sense. Checketts realizes that few major sports teams are profitable on their own. Larry H. Miller wouldn't have kept the Jazz here if he hadn't built the ES Arena. LHM makes money owning the Arena and using the Jazz as a large tenant. Real estate developers do this also when they build a large project based on a company having offices fill a majority of the space. They don't make money on the large company until the smaller tenants move in.

And now that no one wants to give Checketts the money or a way to build his huge development around it, he'll sell the team and be done with it.

Kind of worried if someone else buys them and keeps them in Utah. Checketts seemed like a great fit for building an MLS franchise.

delts145 · #**114** Posted **Jan 31, 2007, 9:27 PM**

SmilingBob, Let's assume you are right, which you often are. Perhaps, there will be an attraction to the Geneva sight because of it's raw potential for major accompanying development. Also Anderson has stated he has proposed Checkett's as a fully involved partner/owner. I'm hoping the home-town boy heart strings will be tugging hard at Checkett's, and he'll stay with Utah.

Makid · #**115** Posted **Jan 31, 2007, 9:41 PM**

There is a lot of room around the fair park for what Checketts is wanting. There is the empty field on the south side of N. Temple. There is the empty field on the West side of the Fair Park. And lets not forget that there are a lot of surface parking lots downtown that would be great for development.

If he does decide on the fair park, I know that it will be because the city has given him waivers for zoning and preferential treatment for buildings. But I think it would be worth it.

delts145 · #**116** Posted **Jan 31, 2007, 10:29 PM**

Excellent points Makid, the fair park definately has my vote. Actually, I think Real is going to get a better deal out of Salt Lake proper than it would have originally. I would be sooooooo enthusiastic to see that fair park developed further. This would be a major contribution into making our state fairgrounds something to be proud of.

delts145 · #**117** Posted **Feb 1, 2007, 1:41 PM**

There was a great interview on Fox News last night with the Governor. He was very encouraging that something can be worked out. I've said it before and I'll say it again, "Huntsman will be the key in keeping this deal in Utah."

By Doug Smeath
Deseret Morning News
The future of professional soccer in Utah is anyone's guess, but many people — including business leaders, lawmakers and the governor — are scrambling to work out a deal.
Since Salt Lake County Mayor Peter Corroon on Monday denied Major League Soccer team Real Salt Lake's request for $30 million in public funds for a Sandy stadium, officials' discussions have been mainly behind-the-scenes and private. Publicly, talk has been about doing whatever it takes to keep the team from leaving the state.
Major League Soccer brass earlier this week granted team owner Dave Checketts permission to explore the option of sending the team to St. Louis. But owners of the former site of the Geneva steel plant in Utah County want to see a stadium built there. And Salt Lake City Mayor Rocky Anderson and the City Council have revived their idea of a stadium at the Utah State Fairpark.
Several officials have also hinted at another option that they aren't naming.
"The most important thing is to put together a deal that will allow Major League Soccer to stay in this valley," Anderson spokesman Patrick Thronson said Wednesday.
Anderson had requested an emergency meeting of the City Council on Wednesday afternoon to discuss the Fairpark idea. However, that meeting was canceled because the mayor had no new information to share with the council.
Meanwhile, the council sent a letter Wednesday to Real officials telling them "the door is open" to talk about a Salt Lake City site, Council Chairman Van Turner said. The city was not releasing that letter Wednesday, but Turner said it made no specific recommendations.
The Fairpark is on land owned by the state, so a stadium there would require legislative approval. Anderson has called on Gov. Jon Huntsman Jr. to push for that approval.
Huntsman and legislative leaders talked about at least three options for keeping Real in Utah during their weekly lunchtime meeting Wednesday but made no decisions.
"We're just trying to make it happen," said the governor's spokeswoman, Lisa Roskelley, adding that the governor was staying in contact with team officials and legislative leaders on the issue.
"The governor is a diplomat. He's a facilitator. He's just trying to make sure it all comes together. His goal is to keep professional soccer in Utah," Roskelley said.
Other options beyond the Utah State Fairpark on North Temple and the Geneva site in Vineyard are also being considered, Roskelley said. She declined to identify what those options were.
Senate President John Valentine, R-Orem, also said there were other options for the team, but he, too, declined to identify them and said he has not made up his own mind about the best alternative.
"Obviously, I like my hometown, so I really do like something that would bring soccer to Utah County," the Senate president said. "I'm also trying to take the non-parochial view. ... I'll favor the one that makes the most sense."
Meanwhile, Michael Hutchings, co-owner of Anderson Development Inc., which owns the Geneva site, met Wednesday afternoon with Real's chief executive officer Dean Howes.
"We had a very good meeting," Hutchings said. "We're chasing this deal and it's looking pretty good. Obviously there's details to work through, but we just come back to the fundamental principles in this deal — it just makes a lot of sense for us to locate this team on the Geneva site."
Anderson Geneva, an affiliate of Sandy-based Anderson Development LLC, has a Salt Lake County connection in House Speaker Greg Curtis. The Sandy Republican is a lawyer for Hutchings Baird & Jones law firm, and Hutchings is a partner in both the law firm and Anderson Development.
Anderson Development has offered the team 30 acres for its new home. Hutchings said he'll be meeting with Checketts next week.
Another possible player in Real's future is John Garff, chief operating officer of Ken Garff Automotive Group. The company owns the Utah Blaze arena football team but had considered starting an MLS franchise first.
Ken Garff Automotive Group already is a corporate sponsor of the team, and John Garff said Wednesday that the company plans to keep that relationship alive. He holds out hope that the team can stay in Utah, under its current ownership. But if that doesn't work, the possibility of his company buying the team is not out of the question.
"We considered it before," he said. "Would we consider it again? We haven't ruled it out."
At least one official — Speaker Curtis — is still holding out hope for a Sandy stadium.
"I think (Real Salt Lake) provides real benefits, internationally, nationally and within Utah," he said Wednesday. "I want the stadium in Sandy. That's my preference, and I'm working toward that. But if the only way to save (the team) is something at the Fairpark, then I'm there, too. We need to move on this."
Amid all the negotiating and rumors, the Real camp has kept quiet since Corroon's decision Monday. Team spokesman Eric Gelfand said Wednesday: "All our options are open, including discussions with other cities."
Team owner Dave Checketts said investors in eight cities, including St. Louis, are interested in acquiring an MLS franchise. Real officials are negotiating with St. Louis attorney Jeff Cooper and his investment group on a possible sale of the team, Gelfand said.

SLC Projects · #**118** Posted **Feb 1, 2007, 4:47 PM**

Have you guys checked out the ksl site yet?

Looks like checketts could be selling the team to St. Louis.

WTF is up with that when there's people here in utah that want to buy the team. You'd think since checketts lives here and grow up here he would put utah first. What a ass.

Makid · #**119** Posted **Feb 1, 2007, 4:57 PM**

I honestly think that the talk of selling the team to St. Louis is nothing more then a political move to force the hands of the power players in Utah Politics to get this thing finalized.

By reading the article, Utah politicians are saying a deal should be done within a week. Conversely, St. Louis is saying 2 weeks for a deal...The St. Louis deal will only happen if it doesn't work for us.

And if anyone hasn't heard, the primary discussion point for the stadium is still Sandy.

jedikermit · #**120** Posted **Feb 1, 2007, 4:58 PM**

Checketts also owns a lot of property and another sports team in St Louis--he's got considerable assets there. I wouldn't be surprised to see Checketts go there, and I really won't miss another Sports Owner Diva in the news too often for not much.