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Alex Cabrero Reporting The argument between Salt Lake City Mayor Rocky Anderson and developer Dell Loy Hansen made lots of news yesterday. After all the talking back and forth, we now have the video to show you what really happened. Late this afternoon, the city gave us security camera video of the incident.
You wouldn't call this fight Ali versus Frazier or even Mike Tyson versus Peter McNeeley; it's not even close, but it is a serious argument, and one that a lot of our viewers can't seem to get enough of.
Dell Loy Hansen comes out of the meeting at City Hall first. He steps into the hallway, then turns around, as if waiting. A few seconds later, out comes Mayor Rocky Anderson, and as soon as the mayor comes out, Hansen goes right up to him. The two walk shoulder to shoulder, obviously not discussing tea plans.
"Nobody should be treated that way," Anderson said yesterday. "Dell Loy Hansen was out of control, raging, came at me in the hall screaming. And then when he grabbed my arm, I made sure he knew what the consequences would be."
The video shows Hansen grabbing the mayor's arm and the mayor taking it back.
Dell Loy Hansen had this to say about it, "I'm immediately sorry that I let someone get under my skin that easily. That shows a lack of restraint on my part. I don't think Rocky's sorry for it, because I am. I don't want to be known as the biggest bully in the room, I'd like to be the biggest cooperator."
At one point during the argument Anderson tried to leave, but Hansen had more to say.
This all started because the mayor accused Hansen and his Wasatch Properties of cheating taxpayers out of redevelopment agency money. Hansen didn't like it.
"You don't have to make me a criminal, you don't have to make me a liar, just have to be honest with me and say that's an important issue to you," Hansen said.
Mayor Anderson said, "These are public funds. I have a responsibility as does the RDA and the board to make sure that people live up to their agreements."
We spoke to Mayor Anderson's spokesperson on the phone this evening; he says the mayor isn't going to comment any more about this. A statement from the city simply says Hansen made false and misleading statements about this incident. A call to Hansen has not been returned yet, but we know he has dropped out of building a new high-rise tower in downtown Salt Lake.
