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SALT LAKE CITY (AP) -- The Salt Lake County Council is expected to consider a resolution on Tuesday pledging to follow the Legislature's wishes on use of a hotel tax authorized by legislators.
Some council members have maintained that there was an understanding that if the county opted to collect the tax, the money would go toward a soccer stadium in Sandy for Real Salt Lake.
County Mayor Peter Corroon said the $35 million Real sought from the county would end up costing $87.5 million over the life of the loan and that was too much.
The law enacted by the Legislature did not require hotel taxes be used for the stadium, but everyone knew that it was understood, Councilman Joe Hatch said.
The resolution would pledge to heed the Legislature's demands.
"I'm going to stick to my word," Hatch said. "My word is my bond, and I'm not going to break it."
The only way the county will spend the hotel tax money on anything else is if the Legislature gives its approval, the proposed resolution states.
The county has been collecting tax money from hotels and motels to pay for Salt Palace expansion.
The measure enacted by the Legislature removed a sunset provision on the old law, allowing county officials to continue to collect the tax if they so choose.
"If we do not spend this money on the stadium there isn't going to be the money," Hatch said. "It's just not going to occur. There is this misperception that this money is out there and we'd use it for other things."
However, Councilman Mark Crockett told a group at the Utah Taxpayers Association conference Friday that county officials should be able to use the hotel tax money anywhere they please.
If legislators wanted the county to use the money only for a stadium, they should have put that language into law, he said.
Real Salt Lake owner Dave Checketts said Saturday that he is proceeding with his plan to build the stadium and hopes someone will figure out how to come up with the public funds needed.
"We need another option," Checketts said before Real hosted the Columbus Crew on Saturday.
Corroon's announcement prompted speculation that Real could be headed elsewhere if a stadium deal is not worked out soon.
"I don't want to own this team anywhere else," Checketts said. "The club's not for sale."
(Copyright 2006 by The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.)
