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SALT LAKE CITY (AP) -- Mayor Rocky Anderson has a possible solution to Real Salt Lake's roadblock in the plans to build a stadium for the Major League Soccer team in the suburbs: Build it in Salt Lake City.
Anderson, who unsuccessfully lobbied for a downtown stadium before Real owner Dave Checketts selected a site in Sandy, sent out a proposal Wednesday, complete with plans for a new stadium to be built at Utah State Fairpark west of downtown.
Anderson's proposal calls for the state to lease Real the property for 50 years. Salt Lake County, which balked at a plan to fund $35 million for infrastructure at the Sandy project, would supply $17.5 million from hotel taxes.
Real would make the stadium available for the State Fair every year and repay the hotel tax money over 17 1/2 years in cash or "in-kind tourism-promotion services."
Anderson's proposal said parking is already available at the fairgrounds, and the new stadium would help to redevelop the area.
Anderson sent the proposal to Checketts, Gov. Jon Huntsman and Salt Lake County Mayor Peter Corroon, who said a $35 million county bond for a Sandy stadium would be too costly to taxpayers -- costing $87.5 million over the life of the loan.
Anderson also recommended selecting an independent task force to analyze "all proposals" to build a stadium for a team.
(Copyright 2006 by The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.) APTV-06-21-06 1823MDT
