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John Daley ReportingUtah's brand new major league soccer franchise is continuing its quest to find a home to built its new soccer stadium. But so far it's proving to be an elusive goal.
The Real Salt Lake squad opens its season in just six weeks. It's been good news/bad news for the team lately. Their stadium suffered a big setback on Capitol Hill this past session, meantime ticket sales just keep growing.
For Real Salt Lake, these are the best of times and the worst of times. The team landed world-class players, like striker Clint Mathis, and began compiling an impressive winning record in pre-season. But up on Capitol Hill it got shut out by lawmakers who voted to prohibit the use of redevelopment funds to pay for stadium projects.
Without that money, buying the land and building a 60 million dollar, 22,000 seat soccer-specific stadium has now become a daunting task.
Dean Howes, CEO, Real Salt Lake Soccer Team: "We thought we were well along the path with both Murray and Salt Lake City, and then to have the funding mechanism taken away from us disappoints us."
Still, Howes says the team is committed to stay in Utah, just where and what the details are remain to be sorted out.
Dean Howes, CEO, Real Salt Lake Soccer Team: "If we want to be a world-class city, is this the kind of message that we send? That a major league team or an entertainment entity is really not welcome to expect a private-public venture."
Meantime, both Murray and Salt Lake are trying to figure out how to pay for a stadium without those RDA funds, funds that in the past have been used to build the Delta Center, Franklin Covey field, the E Center, and part of the Gateway project.
Rocky Anderson, Mayor, Salt Lake City: "We would not have major league teams here. We wouldn't have these great facilities. We would not have all of the economic development that comes with them and we would not have the civic pride and increased quality of life."
The team hopes quality soccer will improve its prospects. It already is amongst the league leaders in season ticket sales and is eying a potential sell-out when it hosts a World Cup qualifying game this summer.
The team begins play on April 2nd, an away game in New York City. Their first home game is April 16 against the Colorado Rapids.
