Salt Lake City: Official Development News Thread - Part 5

[ajiuO]

I actually think they are pretty serious about getting MLB and this sports complex.

The more I think about it, I also like the idea of the Delta Center being relocated to the complex. It makes sense location wise and it would be nice to have a modern NBA Arean.

If that were to happened I think the current block where the Delta Center is should be redeveloped in to a Salt Palace Expansion. If we want to keep big conversations like ODR well into the future, we are going to need a bigger conversation center. As we all know the LDS church has plans for the parking lot block which is commonly used for larger conversations…. It won’t be there forever, the current location of the Arena is really the only option (if the arena were relocated). Also if the arena were relocated the LDS churches parking business would surely take a hit. It might prompt them to move on their project.

Speaking of parking…. They really need to make sure this sports complex can meet parking needs… it would also be cool if they could get some redevelopment going on the old Ramada sight… it’s been fenced off for a while now. I’m waiting for crackheads to burn it down like they did with everything else on north temple…

Anyone know what happens with the Starbucks that was suppose to replace the dumpy looking emissions place on the corner of N. Temple and redwood road.

The transformation of North Temple, when all said and done, will be quite the amazing turnaround.

[bob rulz]

Originally Posted by ucsbgaucho

Vegas may soon have AAA and MLB if they get the A's, and Tacoma is home to the Mariners AAA team, so it's not that unprecedented. Plus, the cost to see a MLB game is ridiculous compared to minor league baseball, especially for families (and even more so for big Utah families), you're looking at $300-400 or more for a family to go to an MLB game. So there's plenty that would still choose to see AAA games, especially if they're not season ticket holders.

I didn't realize MLB was that expensive. They have like 80 home games per year don't they? I figured it was cheaper than the NBA since they have more games but I guess not.

Also I think you're drawing a lot of conclusions about what the area could look like. There's nothing that prevents a concentration of bars in an area, and they've already been very clear that residential is going to be incorporated into that mixed-use master plan.

Anyway, this is likely a minimum of 5 years out anyway, so most of what we could talk about it just pure speculation.

[Comrade]

Originally Posted by bob rulz

I didn't realize MLB was that expensive. They have like 80 home games per year don't they? I figured it was cheaper than the NBA since they have more games but I guess not.

Also I think you're drawing a lot of conclusions about what the area could look like. There's nothing that prevents a concentration of bars in an area, and they've already been very clear that residential is going to be incorporated into that mixed-use master plan.

Anyway, this is likely a minimum of 5 years out anyway, so most of what we could talk about it just pure speculation.

I think Salt Lake will have a MLB team by 2026.

[taboubak]

Originally Posted by bob rulz

I didn't realize MLB was that expensive. They have like 80 home games per year don't they? I figured it was cheaper than the NBA since they have more games but I guess not.

Also I think you're drawing a lot of conclusions about what the area could look like. There's nothing that prevents a concentration of bars in an area, and they've already been very clear that residential is going to be incorporated into that mixed-use master plan.

Anyway, this is likely a minimum of 5 years out anyway, so most of what we could talk about it just pure speculation.

It's not that expensive this guy has no idea what he is saying. I've been to many MLB games for 10 dollars or less. Including a night game at Safeco in September in the midst of a playoff run. Sometimes weekend night games spike a bit but still not that high unless we are talking playoffs or world series.

[RC14]

Originally Posted by ucsbgaucho

I just feel this location is going to be "isolated" outside of games themselves or another stadium event. Will any restaurants or entertainment district draw enough people outside of event days to stay in business?

This location is probably as close to downtown as we could reasonably expect without the implementation of the Rio Grande plan. Which, if it happens, is probably further out than a possible MLB team. (15-20 years maybe?)

The RMP site isn't even that far from downtown and a big part of why it feels isolated now is because the site itself is underdeveloped and takes up a large chunk of the overall neighborhood but that is changing with or without an MLB stadium. The rest of North Temple has been developing rapidly since TRAX arrived in 2013. By 2030 North Temple will look nothing like what it does today.

[Atlas]

You can typically get Rockies tickets for like $15 each. Sure, those aren't the good seats, but that seems very doable for most families. I think Utahns will eat it up.

The Power District seems like a great place for a "sports district" but I also sorta like the idea of spreading the venues around downtown. Block 40 (Main & 4th South) would be an excellent spot for an NHL arena in terms of proximity to nightlife and transit. Maybe Ryan Smith can buy it from CCR.

I'd love to see some new Power District renderings and such, Orlando. The new website doesn't currently show anything we haven't seen before. Keep up the good work!

[nushiof]

Block 40 would be so ideal for new NHL or even a new Jazz arena due to connection to Main Street night life.

[wrendog]

Originally Posted by nushiof

Block 40 would be so ideal for new NHL or even a new Jazz arena due to connection to Main Street night life.

The MLB announcement also stated the RMP property could accommodate an NHL arena as well. That's what I'm rooting for

[Comrade]

I don't trust anything when it comes to our government, though. The RSL situation years ago left me seriously jaded over things. I also am uneasy about the rhetoric being tossed around about how they "prefer" to build the stadium on the RMP site.

Couple that with Cox saying there will be no public dollars used to fund the stadium, and I'm having flashbacks to the RSL stadium ordeal.

If you recall, SLC was going to use RDA dollars to help fund the stadium downtown on Main Street. But the legislature was quick to pass a law restricting cities from using RDA funds on stadium projects. That all but killed the chance to build the stadium on the Main Street site. Eventually, Checketts basically told the state that RSL was in danger of relocating without a stadium deal. Salt Lake offered up the Fairpark but eventually, the Sandy site was chosen and the legislature eased up on its restrictions toward stadium funding.

I'm convincing they did much of that just to spite Salt Lake.

I would hate to see that play out here.

The governor or legislature "opposing" public funds to help build the stadium, then basically being told, "well you ain't getting a team then" only to relent but on the condition the stadium is part of the redeveloped prison site.

That would be a terrible bait-and-switch move and really show how little the state is committed to helping out Salt Lake - especially the west side.

Of course, I could just be paranoid lol

[Atlas]

Hopefully we don't see those kinds of shenanigans again. Someone needs to gather the facts of the RSL debacle and publish an expose or op-ed about it. It's definitely not common knowledge that the legislature screwed SLC over in that situation.

I think the RMP site, being close to downtown, transit oriented, and shovel-ready, makes the SLC bid for an MLB team a lot stronger than it would be with The Point, given the league's priorities and history. Baseball is an urban sport and the MLB wants urban ballparks. Maybe that reality will dissuade any shady actions by the legislature. Maybe Mendenhall's improved rapport with the legislature (compared to previous mayors) has helped too?

The mayor of Draper has been pushing hard for a stadium at The Point so he must not be having a good week. His city's only options now would be NFL and NHL, and the NHL rumors are also hinting at SLC right now. NFL seems even less likely than it did before.

Homerun for the capital city

[mstar]

Comrade, I don't think that will happen in this case. Steve Starks is my nephew. I have talked with him and he said they are committed to RMP site. He seems to be very optimistic of Salt Lake's chances of getting this done as well. Hopefully, everything goes as planned. I think it would be an awesome for the North Temple west side and Salt Lake in general.

[Comrade]

Originally Posted by mstar

Comrade, I don't think that will happen in this case. Steve Starks is my nephew. I have talked with him and he said they are committed to RMP site. He seems to be very optimistic of Salt Lake's chances of getting this done as well. Hopefully, everything goes as planned. I think it would be an awesome for the North Temple west side and Salt Lake in general.

I hope so. It would be such a boon for an area that has been largely ignored all these years.

It would be disappointing if this stadium went to an area that is already seeing significant investment over an area that really needs it.

[Schmoe]

Move West H.S. to the Power District, close John Stockton Blvd for two blocks above North Temple, and build the stadium on the current West High site.

[delts145]

Gail Miller says MLB pursuit completes the circle on her family's lifelong connection to baseball - https://www.ksl.com/article/50621224/gai...-familys-lifelong-connection-to-baseball

Just a day after announcing the Miller family and Larry H. Miller Company had assembled a broad-based coalition of stakeholders, identified the site for a stadium and officially launched an effort to bring a Major League Baseball franchise to Salt Lake City, Gail Miller spoke with the Deseret News about how big a deal the game was for her family and her late husband, and how the new effort is, in many ways, completing a journey that began decades ago."The game was a big part of our life, our whole life," Miller said. "He would be very pleased about getting a major league team here today." ...

...The proposed site of a potential new Salt Lake City MLB stadium on the west side of the city, just off of North Temple, is not far away from the neighborhoods where Gail and Larry grew up, he on Capitol Hill and her in the Marmalade District. The proximity of a possible new major league stadium so close to where Larry first started playing baseball just brings added meaning to the effort, Gail Miller said.

"It feels like I really have made a full circle and this is absolutely the right place for a major league ballpark," Gail Miller said. "That particular piece of ground was a godsend."

Gail Miller said the newly launched effort to bring an MLB franchise to Salt Lake is also reminiscent, at its core, of the energy she and Larry had back in the '80s when they were scraping together funding and partnerships to buy the Jazz and keep the team in Utah.

"This effort ... really has the same purpose that was behind buying the Jazz, to fulfill our dream of bringing the community together," Gail Miller said. "I remember after signing the (Jazz purchase) contract, Larry said, 'Utah, it's all yours.' And this is still about bringing a team here for the community and all the good things that come with it." ...

.

[Orlando]

Thanks for posting that article. I love the connection to the Miller family and the location. I do understand the concerns that Ucsbgaucho is raising, and I do agree that somewhere closer to downtown would be better. However, I can assure that what is being planned and considered will have lots of residential mixed-use developments and a wide variety of open spaces and amenities and active uses. We have also had quite a few meetings with community and civic stakeholders. We are really trying to make this an ideal development for everyone.

[UtahBison]

Originally Posted by ThePriceWentUp

While I agree the transit situation might prove to be a shit show I'm definitely not worried about future activation in that area. Take a look at the Fairpark Master Plan which is scheduled to be implemented and completed in 15 years.

I am cautiously optimistic about their commitment to this site. I read somewhere that Larry H. Miller grew up playing baseball at "White Ballfield," and in this Fairpark Masterplan, the site across North Temple from the Fairpark has a "White Ballfield District," which I assume is where White Ballfield used to be. If so, it is just across the Jordan River from the RMP site, so I could imagine a strong connection to the area for Gail Miller.

Originally Posted by Atlas

Block 40 (Main & 4th South) would be an excellent spot for an NHL arena in terms of proximity to nightlife and transit. Maybe Ryan Smith can buy it from CCR.

I am not so sure about Block 40. It is bordered on the south by the backside of Little America, and to the north by two courthouses (Orrin G. Hatch and Frank E. Moss). Not to mention it is sandwiched by two of the busiest streets in downtown (4th and 5th south), which are not pedestrian friendly. I get the closeness to Main Street, but it just feels very limited as far as what development and growth it could spur to make it a truly great place to visit on game days.

Personally, I would prefer they tear down and rebuild a new arena for NBA and NHL on the current site. I fear that moving it away would be a disaster for that part of downtown.

[taboubak]

Just drove by the Brix site. They have broken ground.

[ajiuO]

Originally Posted by Schmoe

Move West H.S. to the Power District, close John Stockton Blvd for two blocks above North Temple, and build the stadium on the current West High site.

No

[UT_Presto]

Was driving down 500 East and it looks like the 144 South Apartments have started work in some capacity.

[bob rulz]

I do hope any potential future Jazz arena is built on the same site. There is no better location for an NBA arena.