RSL Press Conference Thu. Jan 24 4 pm EST

"Real Salt Lake President Bill Manning received the prestigious Doug Hamilton Award, signifying recognition as the 2012 Major League Soccer Executive of the Year."

http://www.abc4.com/sports/story/RS...executive-of-year/BvWZqxmZN0WKst2cfjMLBg.cspx

Please tell me this ain't it.... (is this old news or 'new' news?)

 

This better not be it, or else we'll look even more bush league than expected.

 

Why would the Governor care about something like this?

It can't be (god help me I will never pay attention to a "big announcement" again if this is it)

 

does RSL have a training facility that includes a bunch of extra "public/community" fields like FCD or COL have?

because i can only think this might be an announcement of some public/private partnership between RSL and the state/local government to build RSL a training facility with community fields and the like somewhere in Sandy?

 

it seems to be popular .. i think Houston opened one not to long ago and Vancouver is building one in conjunction with a University ... TFC's might just be for TFC and i think they paid for it themselves.

anyway i can't think of anything else big enough to bring all of these parties together.

 

I seem to recall RSL trying to do just this somewhere to their south on the river. I think this was talked about in the 'training facility thread'. This might be it.

 

Kia sponsored for at least part of the cost for TFC training facility

 

I agree. This is the best guess so far.

 

RSL just opened a practice/training field last year.

Part of the deal to build the stadium back in 2007 was that RSL would partner with Salt Lake County (or city? I don't remember) to build a field complex closer to the city center. It's been hit with delays because of environmental concerns -- it's in the riparian zone of the river -- but has recently been cleared for construction. Probably. I could see the governor showing up for an announcement about this, I guess, but not Garber.

 

Minority owner Dell Loy Hansen has bought Dave Checketts' share to become the sole owner of RSL.

 

Here's an article: http://www.sltrib.com/sltrib/sports/55693417-77/checketts-hansen-stadium-team.html.csp

 

http://www.sltrib.com/sltrib/sports/55693417-77/checketts-hansen-stadium-team.html.csp

 

i thought i had somebody on here tell me not so long ago that that had already happened and Checketts wasn't really invovled anymore?

but it makes sense because the press release says "Founder" Checketts and "Owner" Hansen.

 

Thank you guys for the link. Couldn't do it from the phone.

 

I wonder why the Politicians would show up to something like this?

 

Celebrating true local ownership?

He is a developer so perhaps there will be some development plans announced as well?

 

So he bought the other 51% is sounds like? Wonder what he paid for it?

 

Maybe to thank Checketts for bringing the team to the state? It makes Utah seem small-time, but hey, we're pretty small-time.

 

Are you concerned that the league is going down the drain because Checkketts has decided to leave? I mean, he's not headed back to Colombia or anything, but still....

 

actually i'm glad ... local ownership who's only sports interest is the MLS team is exactly what is working well in MLS (see Sounders, Timbers, SKC, Montreal).

 

And yet the current MLS Cup and SS holders have an owner with multiple teams who's primary residence is in a different MLS market...

 

Everyone knows that the LA Galaxy is just a farm team for Hammarby in Sweden. It has to be that way because AEG owns both teams.

 

If we find out how much he paid for the rest of the team it would help us get an idea of RSL overall valuation.

I know that DC United was estimated to be worth about 50 million based on last seasons sale.