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SALT LAKE CITY — Utah's play to snag a Major League Baseball team received a boost from state lawmakers as the race to attract the league heats up, especially among Western cities jockeying for an expansion franchise.
Members of the Utah House of Representatives voted 68-2 on Wednesday to pass SCR3, a resolution to support efforts to bring an MLB team to Salt Lake City. The resolution now heads to Gov. Spencer Cox's desk for signing after the Senate voted 26-3 in favor of it last week.
"We want to proudly welcome Major League Baseball to Utah," said Rep. Sandra Hollins, D-Salt Lake City, the bill's floor sponsor, moments before the final vote.
The resolution doesn't change much in terms of adding to what's already known about Utah's effort to bring an MLB team to Utah, which is being led by leaders of the Larry H. Miller Company through the coalition Big League Utah. But it does offer recognition of bipartisan support from state lawmakers as the process unfolds.
It essentially bolsters the same arguments that Big League Utah has made in its case for a big league team, recognizing Utah as being one of the fastest-growing states in the nation with "the strongest economy" to boot.
In addition, the resolution, authored by Sen. Lincoln Fillmore, R-South Jordan, notes Utah has a preferred site lined up in the forthcoming Power District that Rocky Mountain Power is in the process of redeveloping in Salt Lake City's Fairpark neighborhood, adding that Utah is "the ideal geographic destination" for the league, among other things.
In her last pitch before the final vote, Hollins, whose district includes the neighborhood where the ballpark would be located, noted that the city is also a "jewel spot" because of its proximity to I-15, I-80, light-rail service and Salt Lake City International Airport. On top of that, she argued that the state's strong support of the Utah Jazz and Real Salt Lake are two examples of the support the state has for professional sports teams.
There wasn't much of an argument from her colleagues, who took turns on the floor to tout how the efforts could be a possible economic driver, while also fitting into the state's family-friendly focus and history.
"It's about all of us. This isn't about a Salt Lake City opportunity, this isn't even just a neighborhood opportunity. This is a Utah opportunity," said Rep. Ryan Wilcox, R-Ogden, standing next to former MLB great Dale Murphy. "This resolution is an opportunity for us to tell (MLB), 'Yeah, we're interested.'"
Of course, any expansion is ultimately up to MLB. The league last expanded in 1998, adding Arizona and Tampa Bay; however, MLB commissioner Rob Manfred said the league will likely explore the idea more this year. It's believed that if the league does expand, it will add two new teams sometime in the near future.
Other efforts in the works
The resolution isn't the only thing on Utah's radar in terms of the effort to draw in MLB.
Fillmore and Wilcox told KSL-TV earlier this month that they were working on drafting a policy piece that could set up some tax increment financing for a future ballpark.
Meanwhile, Sen. Kirk Cullimore, R-Draper, requested $500,000 in state funds for a transportation study of the Power District during an Infrastructure and General Government Appropriations Subcommittee meeting earlier in the day to plan for transportation needs as a potential ballpark and other amenities are built.
The study would look at possible enhancements to the freeways, roads, public transportation and trails in the area to account for all the redevelopment expected within the 100-acre plot of land. Andrew Gruber, director of the Wasatch Front Regional Council, said the effort is supported by the council, as well as Utah transportation and transit officials, Salt Lake City and "private entities."
"(We're) just trying to have this site live up to the potential for the area and the region in a way that respects the needs of the surrounding communities," he said. "This would not be designed to select the land use or make the development decisions."
Portland's big plans
It's believed that MLB would consider a new team in the East and West if it does expand, which has mostly pitted Utah with an ongoing effort happening in Portland, Oregon, and now Oakland, California, as the Athletics prepare to move to Las Vegas.
While Utah is boosting more of its legislative unity, Portland Diamond Project leaders unveiled more for their version of a new ballpark in the Pacific Northwest. The group issued a statement Tuesday confirming that it is in negotiations to acquire a 164-acre golf course in Beaverton for its ballpark site that would also include what they say would be "the largest sports and entertainment district" in MLB history.
"We have decided that the scale, the timing, the availability and the opportunity that this site possesses simply could not be a better fit for our project," said Craig Cheek, founder and president of the Portland Diamond Project. "We think this site not only will put us in the best position to acquire an MLB team, but will afford the Portland metro area the chance to build something truly transformative."
MLB to PDX entity preparing $50 million land offer to City of Portland.
— John Canzano (@johncanzanobft) January 30, 2024
The @PDXDiamondProj is planning the largest stadium development project in Major League Baseball history.
More here: https://t.co/WxKCgFCE9j
Sportswriter John Canzano reported that the deal is worth about $50 million. It comes after the organization released stadium design concepts last year.
As for Utah's potential new stadium, Larry H. Miller Company president and CEO Steve Starks told The Zone on Jan. 19, that Big League Utah will release new renderings soon as the competition continues. He made those remarks after confirming that the A's toured the new Daybreak stadium as a potential temporary home for the club before their permanent Vegas stadium opens in 2028.
