Will the Jazz stay in Utah? In Salt Lake?

Disclaimer:  I work part time on the event staff for EnergySolutions Arena.  None of the information contained in this post is confidential information obtained during my employment there.  Likewise, all of the opinions contained herein are purely my own, and do not reflect the opinion of EnergySolutions Arena, Larry H Miller Sports, the Miller Family, or their sponsors.

This afternoon, it was announced that the NBA's relocation committee unanimously approved a plan to keep the Sacramento Kings in Sacramento instead of moving them to Seattle.

Some of you are probably saying "Bob, this is a political blog.  Why are you talking sports?"  Well, I can write what I want, and there is a political aspect to this post, I promise.

For those of you who need to be caught up on the issues at hand, let me summarize a few things.  For several years, the family that owns the Sacramento Kings has been trying to get a new arena built in Sacramento.  As they have had trouble funding the arena, they have threatened to move the team to Las Vegas (where they own the Palms casino) or to Anaheim.  Recently, they have put the team up for sale.  A few months ago, a group from Seattle (which lost it's NBA team to Oklahoma City because the city wouldn't fund an Arena) put in a bid to buy the Kings with plans to move them to Seattle.  The Seattle group already has approval for a new NBA/NHL arena.  The City of Sacramento put together a group of investors to buy the team and keep them in that city.  That plan seems to have been successful.  I believe part of that plan includes building a new arena.

All of this has lead some people on twitter to say "could the Utah Jazz move from Utah?  If they stay in Utah, would they stay in Downtown Salt Lake?"  I say no way to the first question, and probably to the second.

First, on whether the team would ever move from Utah.  When he was alive, Larry H Miller maintained that his purchase of the Jazz was a gift to Salt Lake City and the state of Utah.  His family recognize that this gift is the lasting legacy of their husband and father, and is a gift that came a great personal financial risk to them (Miller mortgaged everything he owned twice in the mid-80s to purchase the team, and then again in the late 80s to build EnergySolutions Arena).  Selling the team would be selling Larry's legacy.  Furthermore, they recognize that selling the team would have a negative influence on the rest of their businesses.

Also, even if the family sells the team, it doesn't mean they would sell to an out of state interest.  The Huntsman, Eccles, and Garff families are big Jazz fans and could have an interest in buying the team.

Now, for the question of staying downtown.  The 22-year-old EnergySolutions Arena is the 7th-oldest arena in the NBA.  One of the arenas that is older, Madison Square Garden, has undergone a multi-year renovation where they essentially gutted the entire arena a built a new one inside.  Two more of the older arenas, in Oakland and Sacramento, will be replaced in the next three years.

When it was announced that EnergySolutions had bought naming rights to the Arena, Larry H Miller said that the arena had about 10 years of life left.  That was in 2006.  When there were upgrades to the enterances and some food areas a few years ago, Larry's son Greg, who is now CEO, said that the arena had about 10 years of life.  So, in reality, the team will probably be replacing the building sometime within the decade.

So, will they stay downtown?  Well, they almost didn't.  Larry H Miller purchased a large chunk of land near 11400 SOuth just off I-15 to build his arena.  However, he was having trouble getting the infrastructure improvements needed from Sandy City. The LDS Church stepped in and sold him the lot the arena stands on now for next to nothing.  The Church recognizes that keeping the Jazz downtown would help the viability of downtown.  They also recognize that nearly every broadcast of the game to markets outside of Salt Lake includes at least one shot of the Salt Lake Temple.  For this reason, the Temple is one of the most recognizable buildings in Utah, and thus a destination for tourists.  While you'll get some of that if the team moves to the suburbs, it wouldn't happen otherwise.  The Church owns to parking lot blocks in downtown that would be perfect locations for a new arena:  Block 85, home of the Medals Plaza for the 2002 Olympics and kitty-corner from the current arena.  The other option is the block on the west side of the Courthouse TRAX station.  The Church bought that land a few years ago and have no plans for development.  I would imagine that a simple land exchange would be benifitio=al to both the CHurch and the Millers.

Likewise, I think that the Millers would have an easier time getting some taxpayer funding for a new arena.  The millers have very quietly built relationships with those in GOP leadership in the legislature.  Likewise, being the legislator who killed the Jazz wouldn't be the best way to get reelected.

Some are pointing out the hoops that Real Salt Lake had to jump through to build a stadium. However, this situation is different.  RSL said that they would turn a profit, and gave statistics to show that they would be able to.  However, some of their figures were questionable, and some of those questionable figures have fallen far short.  The Jazz do not currently turn a profit, and the family is comfortable losing some money, as having the team helps the other businesses.  Also, some of the troubles RSL had in getting a stadium built in Downtown Salt Lake were caused by three factors: 1) The preferred locations for the downtown stadium were not for sale.  Salt Lake City's plan included using eminent domain to take the land, which would have been expensive.  2) The stadium issue was at the height of Rocky Anderson's antagonism of the Legislature.  This is the same Legislature that sided with Big Tobacco when it came to smoking in bars after the tobacco lobbyists pointed out that Rocky was in favor of the ban.  3) Legislative leadership represented Sandy and rigged the game to favor their city.  Pork, anyone?

RSL is not the Jazz.  I think that the Millers could get most of what they want from the City, the County, and the State.

Keep in mind that I am not advocating for or against the use of taxpayer funds for a new arena.  That is a different topic for a different day.

-Bob

Real Salt Lake Visits President Obama

James Edward, prep sports editor for the Desert News, was in the Gold Room today when 2009 MLS Champion Real Salt Lake visited the White House. (Really, DNews, you sent the PREP SPORTS EDITOR to Washington for this? The guy who covers Daggett County wasn't available?)

He shot this video:



I especially like the equipment manager getting the President's autograph at the end.

-Bob

Congressman Chaffetz's Sports Hypocrisy

Jason Chaffetz is frustrated today. Apparently, he could save America today, if only he wasn't wasting his time voting to honor sports champions. From his Twitter Feed:

The stock market is diving and we are going to the Floor to vote on men's diving (swimming)....really!

The Democrats refuse to present a Budget, so we vote on sports figures. Congress must do better. I am fired up........thanks for reading

Even if we want to celebrate the Utah Jazz for coming in 4th, I will only vote Present.

Watch ESPN and hold a home town parade, but Congress is not where you should come seeking recognition in athletics.

No more will I vote in favor of recognizing sports accomplishments. People who change the world in math, science, medicine-these I support

Law enforcement, border patrol agents, and millions others who are changing people's lives.

Let's start recognizing true heroes--military, teachers, scientists, students who triumph in something other than sports

No longer will I vote for recognizing sports teams or athletes for simply winning. Congrats! They won! But I am only going to vote Present

I am done! Today we are recognizing Phil Mickelson and University of Texas men's swimming and diving team.

While I agree with him that congress shouldn't vote to honor everyone who wins a championship, it seems a little hypocritical coming from someone whose early campaign was "I'm not Chris Cannon, and I played football at BYU." OK, maybe hypocrisy is not the right word for that.

However, does any other word come to mind when you see this sports-related resolution?



(H/T YDU President Mark Hymas for the pic)

Now, the Pig Flu Gets Personal, Hits me in the pocketbook

Stupid H1N1.

Actually, it's all the overreaction. I mean, seriously, if you were scheduled to play soccer in a place that canceled schools because of a disease, would you?

The first two domestic matches of 2009 for the U.S. Women’s National Team have been cancelled after Japan decided not to travel to the United States or Canada, citing concerns with the H1N1 virus.

The U.S. team was to face the Japanese in two games, one at Pizza Hut Park in Frisco, Texas on May 20 and another at Rio Tinto Stadium in Sandy, Utah, on May 23. Japan was also scheduled to play Canada on May 25 at BMO Field in Toronto.

“This is an unfortunate situation, but one that we had absolutely no control over,” said U.S. Soccer President Sunil Gulati. “We have been assured that the risk to the participating teams is exceptionally low, but we accept the Japanese Federation’s decision not to travel.”

Fans that already purchased tickets to either game will be refunded in full from the original point of purchase.

Looks like another night I won't be working. Thanks a lot, pigs.

-Bob

Note: All posts on here reflect only my personal opinions. They do not represent the opinions of my clients, my employers or their affiliates. All comments and pages contained in their links are the responsibility of their authors and do not reflect the position of me.

P.S. I hold Nothing Against Pigs Personally. They are still tasty.

More New Names for Big Government Field

So, now that we have a "real" name for Big Government Field in Sandy (in case you hadn't heard, it's Rio Tinto Stadium), it's time to come up with a fitting nickname.

Much like the place I'm employed, the Tox Box.

Some early suggestions:

Tainted River Stadium (look it up)
The Gold Pit
RioT into Stadium

Any more suggestions?

-Bob

Big Government Field to be called Rio Tinto Stadium

Tribune:

The new home of the Real Salt Lake soccer team will be known as Rio Tinto Stadium, under the terms of a naming-rights deal with the world's largest coal-mining company that is set to be announced at a press conference Monday.
The Rio Tinto Group, the multi-billion-dollar mining conglomerate that owns Kennecott Utah Copper and the sprawling Daybreak housing development in South Jordan, will pay between $1.5 million and $2 million annually for 15 years under terms of the deal, sources said.
Team spokesman Trey FitzGerald declined to comment.
The deal confirms speculation in online soccer forums that Rio Tinto would acquire the naming rights of the Sandy stadium - one post noted that RSL had registered to acquire two Web addresses related to the stadium name - and fills in the long-awaited final blank in advance of the stadium opening Oct. 9. That's when RSL will play New York on national television before an expected sellout crowd.

ReAL still looking for stadium name spomsor

Back in September, I mentioned that ReAL Salt Lake was looking for a company to buy the naming right to their stadium.

I suggested the name Gadianton Stadium.

Well, here we are, 3 months later, and the DNews is reporting that RSL is still looking. In fact, the article makes it sound like it is just starting to look. Nice spin.

The Comments section has some good suggestions for the name.

May favorites?

-Soon to be a carlot Field
-Sandy RecPlex
-Enron Stadium
-The Ripoff Bowl
-Utah Taxpayer's Stadium
-Faux Conservative Folly Field
-The Boondoggle Bowl

My Name For The ReAL Salt Lake Stadium, if I had $30 Million

I read in today's Salt Lake Tibune that RSL is looking for someone to stick their name on the stadium for about $30 Million.

I have a perfect name picked out. It describes the funding of the stadium, and plays to the LDS population that they are obviously looking for.

The name?

Gadianton Stadium.

I even have a second choice picked out in case they don't like choice #1.

Republican Big Government Field.

Friday Roundup

I usually like posts that stick to one topic, and one topic only. I also dislike posts that contain multiple topics in one post. However, due to some time constraints this weekend and some research I'm doing for some future posts, this is what you're getting.

~Rocky Anderson vs. Mitt Romney: I had this whole post created in my mind about Rocky's Endorsement of MittFlop for Governor in 2002 and MittFlop's endorsement of Rocky for Mayor-in-absentia in 2003. Then I read an article about it in this morning's Tribune. I'm still following up on a few leads to try and bring you the video, however.

~Vouchers: I'm still working on debunking the latest from Fit Hostess Families for the Twinkee Diet (a/k/a Parents for Choice in Education). I should have more early next week. However, Gov Huntsman is saying that if the referendum is successful, he'll want a quick vote, disproving one of FHFftTD's claims. For an update on the petition drive, see here.

~Real Stadium: I haven't focused much on this one lately, but there is a great story about the petition drive in yesterday's Tribune, and a funny tidbit from the St Patty's Day Parade in today's Trib.

The Best Legislature Money Can Buy

Bob Van Velkinburg, while speaking of vouchers, has the following to say on The Utah Amicus:

Why would so much money be spent on this voucher issue? It is estimated that almost $500,000 was spent by people and organizations who favor vouchers.

Even more curious is why would an organization based in Wisconsin called "All Children Matter" want to spend $290,000 of their money to support this issue in Utah? Of course this organization is heavily funded by the Wal-Mart and Amway Heirs but what dog do they have in this fight?

Then there is the local Utah organization called "Parents for Choice." They paid back the Republican Party $70,000 for the cost of their dirty tricks flyers. Another $110,000 in direct contributions to their candidates. Parents For Choice PAC shelled out $58,000 to their picked candidates. Another $58,000 to elect their School Board candidates.

So you can see why Utahns can say with some degree of pride, "We have the best Legislators that money can buy." (emphasis mine)

Not only do we have Parents for Choice in Education, who even got their name on the bill, puchaseing our legislatue, we also have Energy Solutions and ReAL Salt Lake paying top dollar to play in the game.

Money is the root of all evil. It has the power to corrupt even the best people.

-Bob

Doing the People's Business

We've all heard of the Children's Advocates leading a petition drive to put the school voucher issue on the ballot. Now, annother wildly unpopular bill passed by the legislature has a petition moving against it. From GenRolly Speaking:

Five people, including Salt Lake County resident Doug Kitt, filed an application for petition in the Utah Lietentant Governor's Office late Monday afternoon seeking to overturn the Legislature's passage of HB38, directing Salt Lake County restaurant tax money to the Salt Lake Real soccer stadium project in Sandy.

Despite polls in Salt Lake County showing a majority of residents opposed the plan to use Salt Lake County sales tax money to help build infrastructure for the professional soccer stadium, the Legislature worked out a deal with Gov. Jon Huntsman Jr. and passed the bill over the objection of County Mayor Peter Corroon and other county officials.

State of Utah Makes My Dreams Come True!

Someone must have elected Pedro to the Utah Legilature, because they are now making all my dreams come true!

I've always wanted to be a teacher, and now I can. And, I don't have to worry about going to school, racking up the debt just so I can make half of what I'm worth at a public school. I'll start my own school. I'll call it the Utah School for Elevated Learning, which my hand picked board of directors will pick over Sounth Hampton Institute of Technology. Our Mascot will be the seagull, pooping on our opposition.

USEL will seek students who otherwise may not graduate high school. Wel will work with them and make sure the achieve that goal, no matter what. We guarantee a diploma for 100% of our students.

What student wouldn't want to attend our school with course offerings like these:

~10 minute movies. Earn fame by making your own movies and uploading them to YouTube.
~World (of Warcraft) Studies.
~McDonald's Franchise management

We will offer many other classes as a self-study program. Our dress code will allow just about anything you could get away with wearing at a Jazz game. Except a CTR shirt. Just to piss Chris Buttars off. And because as a private school, I can.

Tuition at my school will be simple and cheap. I'll only charge you what you get from the state voucher system. I don't care if you qualify for the full $3000 or just the $500. That's what I'll charge you.

Where will this school be located, you ask? Well, I heard that the legislature is giving away free money to build things without regard to whether I'd make money for it. All I need to do is promise 17,000 people per concert with 11 concerts a year. Well, how can I not, with acts like the Beatles and Sonny and Cher coming to USEL auditorium I'll even donate the use of the auditorium to such events as the Licnoln-Douglas debates and the Jesus and his Deciples Reunion Tour.

If the legislature doesn't come through with the money, I hear Rocky Anderson will give me $12Million to put it at the fairpark.

If I don't get the money, I've already found a team of investors in St Louis ready to buy the idea.

-Bob

Stop Blaming Pete Corroon

(Warning: it's long. Better take a restroom break before starting. But be careful. I took a restroom break before the Super Bowl started, and almost missed the first touchdown. Don't worry, though. I'll wait for you. I have all day.)

It's understandable that everyone who wants a soccer stadium in Sandy is blaming Peter Corroon.

The problem is, it isn't his fault.

You see, back in 2005, plans were being made to build a soccer-specific stadium. Several cities were putting together proposals. Salt Lake had a beautiful proposal for a stadium downtown, as close to a proposed TRAX stop as the then-Delta Center. Salt Lake City would buy the land for the project, then create a Redevelopment Agency zone around the property to pay off the bond. Dave Checketts said repeatedly that he favored this proposition more than any other. The only one that had legs was Sandy.

Many of the leaders in the Utah Legislature favored the Sandy plan. They did this for two reasons. First, because they were Republicans, and Republicans live in Sandy, and are BYU fans, and therefore are sick of driving their soccermommobiles to the University of Utah. Second, because they hate Rocky Anderson. I bet that if Rocky Anderson were to take 100 Fat Boys to a Real Slat Lake game to give to the legislators on the hottest August day, he would come home with 100 melted Fat Boys. I hate Rocky Anderson, but I like Fat Boys more.

Anyway, the Legislators bassed a law in 2005 that banned the use of RDA funding for things like sports stadiums. Salt Lake city was forced to pull their downtown plan, but put up a plan to build a stadium at the Utah State Fairpark at the last minute. But it was too late. Sandy was awarded the stadium.

Then, because the stadium plan needed RDA funds, they magically (but not black magic, more of a grey magic) became legal again, with a big "just kidding" from the legislature. So, we have this stadium plan, but need to know the details of the funding.

Well, it turns out that in addition to private investors (which at this point were confidential), money was going to be needed from the City of Sandy, the State of Utah, Jordan School District, and Salt Lake County. Sandy and the state both said yes. JSD said "Heck no!" Sandy agreed to pay what they had planned on JSD paying. Which left Salt Lake County. They hadn't been asked if they wanted to partisipate, and were a little leery. You'd be too, if someone came up and asked you for a decent chunk of change with the promise only that you'd enjoy the benefits of their purchase, without the knowlee of how long they or the purchase would last, wouldn't you? If not, can I have a loan?

Well, Salt Lake County was led by a man named Peter. When Peter decided he wanted to be Mayor, he told the people that he would spend their money wisely, instead of foolishly. The people believed Peter. Well, most of the people. The Republicans didn't. They assumed Peter was like them. The Republicans say they are for spending money wisely, but then spend it willy-nilly. However, Peter was not about to spend the money willy-nilly. He agreed to spend the money if he could see the financial statements of the team. He was asked why he would want something like that. He said that he wanted to make sure the team would be able to afford to stay a while. The team told him not to worry, everything would be OK. Peter said no books, no money.

The soccer team said "We will not show you our books." Peter said "You will." "Will not!" "Will too!" "I'm not going to show you the books, and I'm going to hold my breath and threaten to move my soccer team to St Louis where I own a Hockey team I just purchased for about the same money I'm asking you for until you give me the money.....OK, maybe you, and only you, can see the books, but only some of them, because I don't want the other teams in my league to see that I plan on actually turning a profit, which only one of them has done, and that was a mistake that didn't repeat itself." So, the a book got handed over, and it looked fishy to Peter. So, he told the soccer team to go back and get all the books, because what he saw didn't match up to what the soccer team had said. The same back and forth took place, until some soccer player from England who played in Spain that has so hot he could melt 100 Fat Boys in the middle of January even though he was several years past his prime athletically (seriously, he's so sexy I'm surprised Chris Buttars hasn't banned him from the state yet) was coming to town, so we needed to break ground with SexySoccerStud, so the soccer team agrred to show the books again, but only to Peter. Peter said, no, it's not my money, it's the people's money, so show the books to the people. So the soccer team agreed, and the ground was broken.

However, no books were given for the people to look through. Again a back-and-forth happened, and finally, the people got to see what was in the books. At first, the books looked shiney and golden. Then, we saw that the books were just regular paper spry-painted to look gold. The books called for more people to be going to soccer games at double the price. The books said that 17,000 people would attend 17 concerts per year just 7 years from now, despite the fact that that many people have attended just 11 concerts in the past 5 years. Total.

However, Peter let someone study the numbers, just to see if there was something golden in the books. Dave Checketts said he only wanted what Larry Miller got. Larry Miller said that his books had been made of real gold, not spray paint. Dave Checketts called Larry a liar. Larry told Dave where to go, how to get there, and what to do with himself once he got there.

Well, the people who Peter asked to look at the books came back and said that, indeed, the books were made of paper, not of gold. Peter made the decision to not give the soccer team money, which made Dave Checketts, Rocky Anderson, and the Republicans mad. However, it made 70% of the people whose money would have been spent very, very happy.

So, for those 30% who are unhappy, who can you blame? The people you always blame: Rocky Anderson, the liberal media, Bill Clinton, Hillary Clinton, gay people, public schools, Mexicans, hippies, or those crazy bloggers, but only the ones you don't read.

Just don't blame the guy who did the will of 70% of the people that are voting for him next year. You'll start to lose elections that way.

-Bob

Miller vs Checketts

"This particular plan, in my opinion, is very ill-conceived... " he said. "Checketts, from the beginning, has said he wants a deal like Larry Miller got (to build the Delta Center, the Jazz home now called EnergySolutions Arena). Two major counts: Our plan to repay the debt ... will be fully paid off in (about) three years; he has no plans to repay any debt. And I brought my money to the table, and it was demonstrable. So, those are the two key things — and he hasn't done either.
"If a better plan comes along — if it's a viable economic model — more power to 'em, whether it's him or somebody else that owns them. I have zero problem with soccer being here, whether it's downtown, in Sandy or down in Utah Valley. But (the plan) has got to have more substance."
Asked if Checketts' failed bid might spoil the efforts of others seeking public funds for various projects, Miller responded affirmatively.
"He screwed the market up for everybody. Period. And he's handled it so poorly," he said. "I mean, he's a bright guy... Maybe brilliant. But he's made so many stupid moves.
"He calls the people (politicians) who are making the decisions 'idiots,' or words to (that) effect.... That's not a good plan when you're trying to get help. So, he's definitely muddied the market. But the good thing is ... any plan for something like that would be scrutinized on its own merits. (deseret Morning News, February 1, 2007

ReAL Bold

I saw the story on the ReAL Sandy stadium thingy right before I had to leave for work at the Bees game. So, I didn't have much time to post my thoughts on it yesterday.

If RSL's own budget numbers are so bad that they will only make a profit by nearly selling out every game and renting the stadium for non-RSL events, then they are in trouble.

God bless you, Pete Corroon, for bucking the Republican powerhouses.

-Bob

P.S. for more information, visit these other sources.

Salt Lake Tribune
No Deal for Real
Kragthorpe: Losing RSL would be a major blow
Mullen: Corroon made a gutsy decision
Soccer team owns land in Sandy, but may look elsewhere
RSL fans sound off

Deseret News
Real deal off, mayor says

Blogs
Bob on Sports (my sports blog, where I talk about the "big league" sports status of SLC)
Bloglet
SLCSpin 1 2 3 4
Scott's Link Log

Mayor Peter: No SLCo funding for ReAL Sandy

[UPDATE 5/4/96 1231] Ethan wasn't the first to report. Oops. See Comments[/UPDATE]

I'm stealing the press release from SLCSpin, who was the first to break this.

NEWS RELEASE

May 3, 2006

Contact: Peter Corroon, Mayor—468-3333/468-3380

Stadium Proposal Turned Down

Mayor Peter Corroon today announced his decision to deny ReAL Salt Lake’s request for $35 million in public financing for land purchase and infrastructure improvements for the soccer stadium site near 9400 South State Street in Sandy. “The numbers just don’t work for Salt Lake County,” says Mayor Corroon. “To get $35 million, we’d have to bond for $48.5 million and end up paying back $87.5 million over the life of the loan.”

County funding for the land purchase would have been generated through the legislatively approved extension of the 1.25% of the Transient Room Tax (TRT), which was to expire in 2015.

TRT, charged to consumers for overnight accommodations in hotels and motels, is used by the county for the Salt Palace Convention Center, South Towne Exposition Center and major funding for the Salt Lake Convention and Visitors Bureau’s tourism and convention promotion programs.

“ReAL Salt Lake is a great addition to our community and I hope an alternative funding source is possible,” says Mayor Corroon. He adds that one possibility, if ReAL wants to put the issue before the voters, is a general obligation bond that would go on the ballot in November.

“The problem comes from attempting to give $35 million to ReAL now, when the major repayment source doesn’t start for almost 10 years,” says Darrin Casper, County Chief Financial Officer. “It is just too costly.”

Ten-year interest only payments do not meet Salt Lake County’s internal debt policies and do not match Mayor Corroon’s conservative fiscal practices. “Spending an additional $18 million up front for interest payments is not a good use of taxpayer money,” says Mayor Corroon.

Annother Mayor Corroon Funny

Salt Lake County Mayor Peter Corroon gives us annother taste of his humor in today's Deseret News.

You see, appearantly, ReAL Sandy is pissed because someone at the county released their financial plans, which call for making money in 5 years, by selling out nearly every game. So, now they're not talking to the county anymore.

"This sounds like a bad high school date," Salt Lake County Mayor Peter Corroon said. "All along, we've been trying to sit down with them and come up with a plan that makes sense. If they're not interested in sitting down and working with us, it's not a one-way proposition. Any negotiations require two patrons, not one."

Yes, Mayor Peter, it is a bad date. A blind date we've been set up with by our friends at the Capitol Building.

No more blind dates.

-Bob

ReAL Estúpido

Cross posted at Bob on Sports, my sports blog.

ReAL Salt Lake of Sandy made their decision: Sandy.

I feel like the girl who thought she had been invited to the prom by the star quarterback, only to have the fourth-string punter show up on her doorstep.

They say that the location appeals to soccer moms. It's too bad I didn't see that many families at the games I attended. Most of the kids I saw were the ones who were on the field for pre-game activities.

Politics won the day. But that's annother story.

We've heard it all before: Location, Location, Location. Well, I'll give you three reasons why this location sucks:

1) Location by the freeway. RSLoS seems to play several Wednesday Night games. I've gone to Jodan Commons (the movie theater right accross the street from the new stadium) several times for a 7:00 show. Traffic sucked getting off the freeway, trying to turn right onto State, and getting into the parking lot. Now, imagine throwing a 20,000 seat stadium into the mix. Anyone who has driven near the Delta Center on event nights can tell you that it makes for a terrible combination. And unlike the Delta Center, which has many parking options to lessen traffic congestion, the Sandy Stadium will have one.

2) Location by TRAX. Sure, eventually, UTA will get a station built behind Jordan Commons or the Southtown Expo Center, but then it's almost a two-block walk from there to the stadium (or more depending on where on the lot they stick the thing). As evidenced by people pay double or triple for parking within a block of the Delta Center versus a block away, people won't take TRAX in huge numbers, further pushing the traffic problems.

3) Ethnicities. I don't want to sound like a racist, but most soccer fans in Utah are not white. So, we stucj our new soccer stadium in one of the whitest cities in the country. I'm sure the three Latino families in Sandy will enjoy easy access to the stadium.

-Bob

tags: Real Salt Lake, Major League Soccer, Utah politics, Salt Lake County

BREAKING! RSL Stadium Wednesday

BREAKING!

KSL-TV Just reported that Real Salt Lake will name their stadium location Wednesday....

-Bob