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Shelley Osterloh Reporting The owners of the Salt Lake Real soccer team are making their pitch to city leaders right now. Both Salt Lake and Murray cities are possible sites for the proposed stadium.
The Salt Lake site is between West Temple and Main Street and between 6th And 7th South. The plan is to have Salt Lake City buy the property from Earl Holding as a redevelopment project to the tune of about 12.5 million dollars.
Then the owners of the Salt Lake Real are hoping for a public vote later this year on a bond for half the construction costs of the new stadium. That's about 30 million dollars from Salt Lake County taxpayers.
At a meeting tonight Real supporters will take their case to the Salt Lake City council and the public. They say the new stadium will build community unity, create new jobs, bring international media exposure, new visitors and entertainment.
Dean Howes, CEO Real Salt Lake: "The other thing is we are trying to build a stadium that has multiple uses, that is not just sacred ground for this professional sport that nobody else can play on it. We will have concerts we will have high school games. We will have other events. We would want people to understand that a we are actively trying to tell people what we are doing so they can cast their vote with a great deal of knowledge.”
That meeting is going on this evening at the City and County Building. After the presentation they'll open up for public comment and questions. But for this year the Real will play at Rice Eccles Stadium and their first home game will be April 16th.
