RSL Demands Return on Youth Sports Complex Donation
None by KCPW
(KCPW News) ReAL Salt Lake and city officials have still not agreed on the details of a plan to build a youth sports complex. The team had promised to donated $7.5 million to help build 16 soccer fields. But now Dave Spatafore, who co-chairs the Salt Lake Regional Sports complex Authority, hopes RSL doesn't get "too greedy." The team is demanding the right to collect revenues from parking, concessions and naming rights at the complex."They asked for $35 million from the state to build the stadium - they got it," says Spatafore. "They've received a sufficient return on investment."
RSL agreed to make the $7.5 million donation as part of a funding package approved by Utah lawmakers to funnel $35 million in taxes to the team's Sandy stadium. In a letter to the Salt Lake City Mayor, RSL owner Dave Checketts makes it clear that he views the money as an investment, rather than a charitable donation. Spatafore says that won't work:
"We need to use those parking, concession and naming rights revenues to fulfil the operations and maintenance on this facility," says Spatafore. "If RSL is allowed to take those revenues, then we can build a facility, but within five or six years it would not be able to be maintained properly."
Furthermore, Spatafore says allowing a private entity to reap big profits at the sports complex will jeopardize the $15.3 million bond approved by Salt Lake voters in 2003. This Thursday, the Regionals Sports Complex Authority will ask the Governor's office to rein-in RSL's demands when it drafts the final agreement for the publicly-funded stadium in Sandy. Team CEO Dean Howse says the team has "always looked at the youth sports complex as a completely separate business deal."
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1. dave spatafore said:
Thanks for the story! On behalf of the SL Regional Athletic Complex, we are trying to accomplish what the Salt Lake voters voted for in November of 2003. We want to provide a complex for our kids to play on and to serve as an economic engine to host state and intermountain tournaments. We hope that Real Salt Lake cooperates with us in this endeavor. Unfortunately, at this point in time, RSL is only going through the motions hoping to utilize a public investment (the SLCity bond and property)for a far greater economic gain for them. We will do our best for the Salt Lake community.
3. Roger said:
I'm not sure you have the story correct. From what I remember, RSL approached the City offering to invest the money that was required to make the project whole and have pretty consistently stated that they want to make this work. I have read that RSL and SLC have resumed discussions on the project. A project that in a recent City Council meeting was being questioned for a lack of budgetary details, the complete absense of a business plan and a before unseen reduction of project's scope. It does seem like everyone has to get their ducks in a row and figure out a way to make this work on paper first. It is amazing that after what has gone on with the stadium process that there are still those who take an accusatory tone. That tone does seem to be counter-productive.
4. Steve said:
Roger, I don't know who you are but it seems you are regurgitating RSL spin. A business plan, budget details, site plan and scope of work were presented at the City Council meeting. From what I know, the Regional Sports Complex is ready to go.
2. Paul C. Burke said:
Dave Spatafore and I serve as co-chairmen of the Salt Lake Regional Athletic Complex Authority. We are working to realize the vision for the sports complex that was endorsed by the public in 2003 with the passage of Proposition No. 5. We remain optimistic that a synergistic relationship can be developed between the SL RAC and RSL, but Real Salt Lake needs to keep the promises it made to Governor Huntsman, the Utah Legislature, and--most importantly--Utah's kids.