Rocky's Chosen Successor Supports Skybridge

None by KCPW

(KCPW News) Salt Lake City Mayor Rocky Anderson's handpicked successor is rebelling. Mayoral candidate Keith Christensen says he will support the skybridge over Main Street under certain conditions. Anderson is dead set against what he calls "a gerbil cage that will kill downtown." And he thinks Christensen has been misled by claims from the LDS Church's mall developer:

"He's been convinced by Taubman that they won't come here and do the project if they don't get their skybridge," says Anderson. "I frankly think they're not telling the truth. And if the skybridge means so much to them that they would leave, good riddance I would say. And let's bring in someone who can build an authentic downtown rather than just replicate the suburban malls."

Christensen says he will support a skybridge over Main Street only if the design is attractive enough to make it a city icon. Further, he says the bridge should not have moving walkways and must be done without requiring the city to sell the air rights over Main Street.

Candidates Jenny Wilson, Dave Buhler and J.P. Hughes all support a skybridge under the right circumstances. Ralph Becker and John Renteria don't. But Becker believes the decision was already made when the City Council overturned Mayor Anderson's veto and amended the downtown master plan to allow a skybridge.

Anderson says he'll do everything he can to stop the skybridge during his remaining months in office. He continues to talk with LDS officials about his concerns, but says his efforts to tie up the air over Main Street with a conservation easement have hit a dead end.

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