2/2/07: Late(r)

[BuffloSoldier]

US star Onyewu wants to prove Premier class--ESPNSoccernet.com (http://soccernet.espn.go.com/news/story?id=406247&cc=5739&campaign=rss&source=soccernet)

Wizards will play at Arrowhead this season--Kansas City Star (http://www.kansascity.com/mld/kansascity/news/breaking_news/16601541.htm)

T.O. FC bolsters midfield with Welsh international--Toronto Star (http://www.thestar.com/Sports/article/177524)

Toronto FC brings in mentor for Edu--Globe and Mail (http://www.theglobeandmail.com/servlet/story/LAC.20070202.SOCCERFC02/TPStory/Sports)

Capitol abuzz over Real S.L.--Deseret News (http://deseretnews.com/dn/view/0,1249,660192050,00.html)

Stadium plan: It's ba-a-ack!--Salt Lake Tribune (http://www.sltrib.com/ci_5141310)

[RogueFC]

I can't believe what a circus the RSL stadium is. It's dead, it's alive, it's dead, they're moving, it's alive again. It's like a Mexican soap opera. But, after watching all of this, I have to contend that Salt Lake is among the best market in the country for pro soccer. I don't think any other club has had as much attention as RSL in the local press. I really hope they don't move.

[Beech]

Note for Today:

Don't drive angry!
http://www.chicagoist.com/attachments/chicagoist_matt/2005_10_groundhog.jpg


The RSL Stadium thing reminds me of Ross Perot running for President. On a lesser scale the Wizards have been essentially doing the same thing with their temporary digs. It's gonna be here, no it's not gonna be here, well now it's over here etc...

[Dynamo Salem]

Completely agree. The stories about the stadium and team in those two papers, Deseret News and Salt Lake Tribune have been constant.

[Khan]

Yeah, I can't believe what a bunch of right-winged religous nuts they are in Utah. [just kidding]


I DON'T understand what the big hairy deal is:

1. [SOME] politicians have used the denial of the funds as a means to forward their image as being frugal.

2. [SOME] in the local media have made it appear as though RSL are taking money from the local taxpayers to "build a stadium."

3. [As I understand it], the $30M will come from hotel taxes; These types of vig aren't typically paid by locals. These are usually borne by outsiders.

4. [As I understand it], the $30M WON'T actually "build the stadium," but will go for infrastructure to make a venue possible.

If this is the case, then the burden of failure should be borne by Checketts & crew, IMO. Bear with me for a moment, I've got some perspective from a Chicago view:


Way back in the late '80s, real estate mogul Jerry Reinsdorf decided that venerable Old Comiskey Park was no longer viable, and decided that he wanted a new venue. He used many tactics to convince the public that he would move the team to Tampa, unless the public paid for the new park entirely.

Now, for a few months, there was some back-and-forth between the republican-controlled state government and reinsdorf, et. al. Literally at the 11th hour of the "drop dead date," stadium funding was approved, USING Hotel/Motel taxes. The politicos covered their @sses by stating the obvious: That these taxes would be paid primarily by tourists and visitors to Chicago.

In the end, everybody got what they wanted. The White Sox got to stay in Chicago, in a new venue. The politicos got to tell the public that "We stood up for local voters, and pushed the burden onto outsiders." [Of course, some have pointed to this as being partly responsible for the downturn in Chicago's convention business, but that's another story for another day...]


Now, I don't know if Checketts, et. al have stressed these two points strongly enough:

1. "We're not asking you to build us a stadium. We want help with infrastructure."

2. "The overwhelming majority of the $30M will come from outsiders and tourists and visitors to SLC."

Maybe he should take out advertising on TV and in newspapers, POUNDING these two points into the local yokels' heads. A change in public perception could go a long way to changing politicians' minds. [Certainly, some incumbent politicians in IL used the way New Comiskey Park was funded as a boost to their campaigns when they ran for re-election.]


Ultimately, I think RSL will get what they want, but it'll merely take a while longer. The politicos will get what they want, being seen as fiscal conservatives. All of us will continue to look at Utah/SLC as a backwards, 3rd-rate city/state. And Ellinger will continue to do impossibly stupid things as a coach, which will provide the fans with comedic relief/Dave Sarachan with job security.

[SYoshonis]

I can't believe what a circus the RSL stadium is. It's dead, it's alive, it's dead, they're moving, it's alive again. It's like a Mexican soap opera. I never thought that I'd be able to type this, but now Utah has something in common with New Jersey.

[RogueFC]

The best part of all this is Trecker saying Salt Lake officials did right. Uh, hey stupid, who paid for the Soldier Field renovation? Who's paid for 90% of the NFL stadiums that are used maybe 10 times a year? Why isn't he bashing all the public money used for stadiums? But I digress...

Checketts could get on his soapbox all he wants but I think it's too late at this point because he has been painted as public enemy #1. He's rich and wants your tax money to build a stadium so he doesn't have to pay for it. There's so much wrong with that assumption but it is too late in the game for the truth now. Salt Lake was on the ropes for nothing if RSL and MLS went belly up. They get some infrastructure and then a stadium plus $10m if the team ever folded. How is that a bad deal for the people??? Not to mention all the development that Checketts really wanted; something like $650 million. So basically "RSL" was going to dump nearly [dr. evil] one billion dollars [/dr. evil] into Salt Lake. People, that's bad economics!

[fatmaradona]

if previously posted, then my bad

http://www.football365.com/story/0,17033,8652_1890257,00.html

[Honore de Ballsac]

I can't believe what a circus the RSL stadium is. It's dead, it's alive, it's dead, they're moving, it's alive again.

Two words: Magic Spray.

[Net_Minder]

It's dead, it's alive, it's dead, they're moving, it's alive again.

....and it will be dead again tomorrow and the cycle continues the next day and then the next day and so on. Maybe they will finally get it right after so many days of the same thing happening over and over again and get their stadium built in Sandy anyway, after all this is Ground Hog Day.

[Hierarchyfive]

IF the team gets a deal done I would think that attendence would be up a lot for RSL. I mean this is a bad fiasco dont get me wrong, but they have dominated the press for weeks. Its free publicity for the team to the entire state of Utah.