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(KSL Team Coverage)
New information from the team says Utah County is no longer in the running.
After the County Mayor turned down a funding proposal this week owner Dave Checketts said he'd look to sell the team.
A serious suitor in St. Louis has emerged, one which would also allow the team to keep using its trademark initials.
One of the original deal's main architects, the House Speaker, says it's up to others to solve the impasse.
Greg Curtis (R) House Speaker: "Until there's other key legislative leaders as well as executive officials willing to lead out on that issue I will do nothing else."
The St. Louis Post Dispatch reports a group there has talked with Checketts about buying the team. Major league soccer's future in Utah may quickly be coming to an end. There is speculation Real Salt Lake may become Real St. Louis.
KSL Newsradio interviewed Collinsville Mayor Stan Schaeffer about hosting a major league soccer team. He says his town of Collinsville could be the site for the stadium. He adds that they would welcome a known team like Real with open arms.
Stan Schaeffer, Mayor Collinsville, Illinois: "That would be fine. That would be an established team. I think that's a major plus. It would probably be really good for attendance and performance if it's already an established team."
Salt Lake County Mayor Peter Corroon said Monday the county would not help fund 30 million dollars to build Real a stadium in Sandy.
Major League Soccer granted owner Dave Checketts permission to explore other locations for his team.
The Saint Louis Dispatch is reporting Checketts is in negotiations to sell the team to a St. Louis group led by attorney Jeff Cooper.
Jeff Cooper: "We've had really good discussions with Dave Checketts... this is certainly a tough thing for him to do. But he's run into so many walls in Salt Lake City they've almost forced him to sell the team."
Cooper says having a deal done in the next couple of weeks is "certainly conceivable".
At the same time, Salt Lake City Council members sent a letter to Real officials yesterday saying they still want to talk about a Salt Lake City site. The Utah State Fairpark has been mentioned as a possible stadium site, but because that is state land it would require legislative approval.
Anderson Development is also in talks with Real about funding a stadium at the Geneva Steel site.
Real's lease here at Rice-Eccles runs out at the end of this season.
