With the passage of a bill that allows Utah counties to levy taxes on hotel accommodations to fund tourist projects, Real Salt Lake are one step closer to securing public financing to aid in the construction of a soccer-specific stadium in Sandy, Utah.
The bill, having passed both of Utah's legislative houses, now goes to Gov. Jon Huntsman, Jr., who is expected to sign it into law.
"I am thankful for all the hard work that the statewide community leaders have done to put a vehicle in place that can finance the public portion of the project," said RSL Chief Executive Dean Howes.
The measure wasn't without controversy. Some lawmakers and community leaders opposed the proposal, saying it was unfair to tourists; some bemoaned the use of public money to help fund private projects like the Sandy stadium.
But in the end, the bill passed quite easily. Howes said he feels that when it came down to it, the lawmakers who had a firm grasp on the intricacies of the measure saw that it would be beneficial not only to RSL, but to the entire state of Utah.
"I think these things are always difficult," he said. "The biggest issue is there are so many finite points to these things. What I think it shows is the people who really understood it believe it to be a good deal."
There is still much to be done before construction can actually begin. With Utah counties given the freedom to levy the 1.25 percent tax on all hotel accommodations, it's up to RSL and Salt Lake County to negotiate an agreement to funnel some of that money to the stadium project. Various news reports have stated that the club is seeking $34 million from the tax.
Howes pointed out that the money will not be used for the stadium itself but for the surrounding infrastructure and land.
"As much as we'd like to celebrate, there is still a lot of work to be done," Howes said. "You never want to get ahead of yourself. We have had a lot of meetings already with the county. The county has been very good to work with ... I think we're pretty bullish."
Howes said if negotiations with the county go smoothly, as expected, the club will be able to break ground in September.
Jason Halpin is a contributor to MLSnet.com. This story was not subject to the approval of Major League Soccer or its clubs.
