Salt Lake Transit News Thread

[Stenar]

Originally Posted by jtrent77

I could be 1) combining two stories and 2) remembering wrong. After looking I am definitely incorrect on Rocky supporting the outlet mall. For some reason I thought he wanted to expand the airport more for a shopping area. However, I find no proof of this in archives, so I could easily be wrong on that point too.

Rocky definitely killed the HUGE mall which was supposed to be built at 5600 West and I-80, which he termed the "Sprawl Mall."

[Future Mayor]

Originally Posted by urbanboy

Remember also how Rocky tried to get the Real Stadium built here at the fair grounds:



But then Republican Senators blocked Salt Lake City's ability to use county hotel taxes to pay for it. These same senators allowed their pall Tom Dolan in Sandy to use the same county hotel taxes to pay for the stadium.

Dave Checketts wanted the Real Stadium in Downtown, the property they wanted was not available (Earl Holding) and any other area had to many property owners and would have been a difficult thing to make happen. Rocky, wanting to keep the stadium in Salt Lake City, submitted a proposal to place it at the Fair Grounds. Checketts wanted it in Salt Lake, but only in downtown, so he looked at other options.

Mayor Caroon (who I think has done a great job), is the one that vetoed the use of the Hotel Tax for a stadium and Govenor Hunstman is the one the pushed the extension of the Hotel tax bill through the senate in order to secure the funding for the stadium.

[urbanboy]

That doesn't sound right to me, I remember the Legislator voting on it. but if that is the case, governor Huntsman should have pushed that possibility through earlier.

[Future Mayor]

yes that is how it happened. Caroon didn't want to use the tax and push for it's extension for the stadium and Huntsman stepped in. However, the problem of location still came down to Holding wasn't willing to sell his property to Real, it was to complicated to assemble another downtown parcel, and Checketts didn't want to go to the fair park.

[scottharding]

And then, just a few short years later, Holding would attempt to gift the same plot of land to the city. What an —. If he had put that stadium on that spot he would have helped his hotels out and then not had to have a panic attack when the city started talking about a new hotel nearer the convention center.

[SLCforme]

what urbanboy was talking about happened prior to the caroon and huntsman deal. Rocky proposed using redevelopment agency dollars to acquire the land, the state senate (The senate majority leader at the time who lived in sandy and now I've forgotten his name) made it so redevelopment agency dollars couldn't be used for sporting or entertainment venues, then checkets decided to put it in sandy because sandy said they had a different funding mechanism in place and SLC couldn't figure out how to fund it without redevelopment agency dollars (turns out they didn't either, they just knew the state would reverse their decision because the douche majority leader was their man). The state legislature then reversed their decision making it legal again, however, caroon had final say as to whether to release the money or not. He said no, as it didn't make financial sense to him, then Huntsman, at the behest of his wife, circumvented the need for caroons approval and gave them the money.

[Stenar]

Originally Posted by scottharding

And then, just a few short years later, Holding would attempt to gift the same plot of land to the city. What an —. If he had put that stadium on that spot he would have helped his hotels out and then not had to have a panic attack when the city started talking about a new hotel nearer the convention center.

Holding is a senile old coot. At the time, I wrote his son Stephen an email suggesting that very thing, that they should sell the block north of Little America for the stadium, which would have meant LOTS of business for their two hotels.

I'm not close friends with Stephen Holding or anything, but I did work in the marketing dept for the Grand America hotel and sat in on many meetings with him (and occasionally Earl), so we know each other and I had his email address. I think it's really stupid that they didn't let them build the stadium next to those 2 hotels. DUH.

[John Martin]

How many people actually come into town for Real games? I'm not saying it would've hurt, but I don't think it would've increased business "LOTS."

[scottharding]

Well, considering they've already held the World Cup Qualifier there and the MLS all star game, which brings in sports media, league admins, etc. Yeah, I'd say LOTS. But remember, that stadium will be used for much more than soccer, such as concerts, other types of sporting events, and such things.

[UTvision]

If I remember right, Holding didn't want a soccer stadium because his legs don't work and it would be a constant reminder of his old age.

[i-215]

Originally Posted by SLCforme

what urbanboy was talking about happened prior to the caroon and huntsman deal. Rocky proposed using redevelopment agency dollars to acquire the land, the state senate (The senate majority leader at the time who lived in sandy and now I've forgotten his name) made it so redevelopment agency dollars couldn't be used for sporting or entertainment venues, then checkets decided to put it in sandy because sandy said they had a different funding mechanism in place and SLC couldn't figure out how to fund it without redevelopment agency dollars (turns out they didn't either, they just knew the state would reverse their decision because the douche majority leader was their man). The state legislature then reversed their decision making it legal again, however, caroon had final say as to whether to release the money or not. He said no, as it didn't make financial sense to him, then Huntsman, at the behest of his wife, circumvented the need for caroons approval and gave them the money.

Which is why I'm voting for Coroon for governor. The only guy in this whole mess with isn't a sell-out.

[TonyAnderson]

Hopefully it means a future football or baseball stadium will be built in DT SLC because of that incident. To me it seems most cities don't usually have more than two stadiums downtown, so I'd rather those two be from the most popular sports. People are making a big deal out of this, but really, a lot of stadiums are built in nearby suburbs of the city.

[Stenar]

Originally Posted by i-215

Which is why I'm voting for Coroon for governor. The only guy in this whole mess with isn't a sell-out.

AMEN!!!

[delts145]

Originally Posted by scottharding

Well, considering they've already held the World Cup Qualifier there and the MLS all star game, which brings in sports media, league admins, etc. Yeah, I'd say LOTS. But remember, that stadium will be used for much more than soccer, such as concerts, other types of sporting events, and such things.

I agree 100% with you Scott, and it's only going to get more pronounced. Holding made a very big blunder. That said, I'm still very happy that Real stayed in the Valley vs. no Real at all.

[cololi]

Checketts never really wanted the stadium downtown. He was pitting the City and the legislature against each other to get what was best for him. He was providing lip service to everyone until he found enough political partners to support him. A stadium downtown would have made it more expensive for him to do business, specifically with the space constraints of a new stadium. Everything from land acquisition, design, permitting, construction costs more downtown.

It certainly did help him that the legislature and SLC had a very poor working relationship at the time. He knew that and from the beginning went to work on getting legislative support to make the best deal for him. The state reps from SLC have very little clout in the legislature and even less power. They are virtually non players in situations when you have conservative support for an issue, particulalry when the issue is centered in Salt Lake County. The legislature can do whatever they do without even considering the SLC reps because they are so overwhelmingly outnumbered.

The fair grounds was never an option, because there was no support at the state level and it is state land and the nonprofit that runs the fair has a lease that does not expire until 2017. Opening up that lease would have been a political nightmare.

[RFPCME]

Oh, —! We missed out on the OBAMA stimulus money for high-speed rail development. Here's the CNN article on this afternoon's announcement.

http://www.cnn.com/2010/POLITICS/01/28/high.speed.trains/index.html

A quick look at the rail systems who got the money shows the focus was on high-speed rail between major population centers, which Utah ain't. Surprised me that the LA to Vegas route did not get funding. Probably would have attracted too much attention as pork barrel politics, which, of course, it is. But someone else's pork is fine swine to me!

Surprisingly, we didn't get any money in GA either. I was hoping for funding for the high-speed Atlanta to Macon to Savannah route, but no. Lots of people in Atlanta, but not enough in Macon or Savannah to warrant the money.

[TonyAnderson]

Free-fare day coming to Wasatch Front on Feb. 12

Clean air » More people on buses, trains will mean less pollution, leaders say.

By Judy Fahys

The Salt Lake Tribune
Updated: 01/29/2010 06:32:46 PM MST

Wasatch Front leaders, eager to lure people onto trains and buses, have made Feb. 12 a free-fare day for public transit.

The Utah Transit Authority made the announcement Friday as Gov. Gary Herbert joined with mayors and legislators on the Capitol steps to call attention to simple steps the public can take to help protect air quality -- like hopping on TRAX or buses rather than driving in cars and trucks.

"All of us can do something," Herbert said. "All of us should do something. Improving the quality of the air we breathe is the responsibility of everybody."

Salt Lake County Mayor Peter Corroon, Herbert's Democratic opponent in the gubernatorial chase, called it "unacceptable" that pollution sometimes prevents schoolchildren from outdoor recess.

Noting that a doubling of population in the next 40 years will pose even more clean-air challenges, he pointed to many ways to cut pollution, including no-idling programs, discounted transit passes and recycling methane pollution from the landfill to generate electricity.

"As a community," Corroon said, "we need to change our habits."

The call for public action comes at a time when state and local finances are pinched. Budget trims last year forced the Utah Division of Air Quality to cut two scientists, an engineer and one other employee, and yet another position will be eliminated if the Legislature's 5 percent, across-the-board reductions are implemented next fiscal year.
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At the same time, the agency is trying to determine what steps it can take to meet tightening federal standards for key wintertime and summer pollutants. Funding for new air-monitoring equipment also has been eliminated, even as the division requires about $500,000 for devices to show that Utah already complies with stricter limits on nitrogen dioxide, lead and sulfur dioxide.

"As we know, the budget's challenged," said Herbert, when asked about the role funding can play in addressing air-quality problems. "We will have to do more with less."

An audience member at Friday's news conference asked when Utah would offer free-fare transit on all poor air-quality days. UTA General Manager John Inglish responded that budget constraints won't allow it.

UTA's services - TRAX, FrontRunner and buses in six counties - will be free Feb. 12, not including the ski buses in the Cottonwood canyons.

Cars and trucks account for about half the Wasatch Front's winter pollution. So fewer cars on the road would mean less pollution.

Salt Lake City Mayor Ralph Becker noted that many tools already are available to Utahns. He urged others to make a New Year's resolution to do what they can to improve air quality, such as driving less, using public transit and turning off vehicle engines idling for 10 seconds or more.

"We can do this," he said. "It is really going to take the collective efforts of all of us."

http://www.sltrib.com/news/ci_14295648

[SLC Projects]

Originally Posted by TonyAnderson

Free-fare day coming to Wasatch Front on Feb. 12

Clean air » More people on buses, trains will mean less pollution, leaders say.

Wasatch Front leaders, eager to lure people onto trains and buses, have made Feb. 12 a free-fare day for public transit.

While I like the idea of having a "free day" to help people come out and try UTA, this DOESN'T help the overall pollution issue. Most people will be back in their cars Feb. 13.
It's like putting only a bandage on a deep open wound. UTA needs to keep adding more Trax lines, more bus routes and lower prices. Overall I think UTA is on the right track.

[jtrent77]

Originally Posted by SLC Projects

While I like the idea of having a "free day" to help people come out and try UTA, this DOESN'T help the overall pollution issue. Most people will be back in their cars Feb. 13.
It's like putting only a bandage on a deep open wound. UTA needs to keep adding more Trax lines, more bus routes and lower prices. Overall I think UTA is on the right track.

I don't think free fare day is set up to convert the entire population to Trax, just to convert a few. Trax isn't nearly large enough to even cover more than 15% of the current population (guessing don't harp on me for the number I chose) in its present state. I think they are just hoping a few people who think that Trax is too much of a hassle will ride it and see it isn't "so bad."

[urbanboy]

Originally Posted by SLC Projects

While I like the idea of having a "free day" to help people come out and try UTA, this DOESN'T help the overall pollution issue. Most people will be back in their cars Feb. 13.
It's like putting only a bandage on a deep open wound. UTA needs to keep adding more Trax lines, more bus routes and lower prices. Overall I think UTA is on the right track.

Perhaps we should be implementing more mass-transit lines before we go widening our free-ways and building new roads and bridges.