Sports Complex Price Tag Rises, Mayor Says Soccer Fans Need to Raise $

None by KCPW

(KCPW News) The proposed soccer field complex slated for Salt Lake City will now cost several million dollars more than previously expected, thanks to rising construction costs and fundraising delays. Which is no big surprise to Mayor Rocky Anderson:

"We've seen all of these projects, like the Unity Center, the Leonardo, now the Athletic Complex," says Anderson. "Anytime I get word back from anybody on projects they say 'It's gonna cost more money and we may have to scale it back some.'"

Mayor Anderson has championed the sports complex since voters approved a 15-million dollar bond to fund it four years ago. He was instrumental in securing a seven-point-five million dollar donation from ReAL Salt Lake to release the bond, and says it's now up to the volunteer-run Sports Complex Authority to raise the rest:

"Those advocates in the community, they have to step up," says Anderson. "Thus far I think they've felt pretty comfortable the money from the bond and the ReAL contribution was going to do it. Now they realize they're going to have to get out and do what they can to help raise the money to get this thing started."

Regional Sports Complex Authority co-chair Dave Spatafore says it will now cost at least 26-million dollars to build the first phase, which includes only 16 of the 24 soccer fields originally promised. Spatafore says they will present a business plan to the City Council within 30 days. Mayor Anderson says he won't approve releasing the bond until the group has raised the additional money it needs for the project.

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