Salt Lake NHL and MLB News Thread

[Comrade]

Originally Posted by RC14

I don't think anything is secure until earth is actually being moved on a stadium, but it seems like they are invested in the area so I don't expect them to change plans.
Right now I'm more concerned about actually getting the team.
Last year I thought the MLB team seemed more likely and I was suspicious of the NLH plans. I now feel like it's the other way around. It sounds like Ryan Smith's organization is very confident we will get a team and the NHL seems to be on board. It feels like there is more competition on the MLB side of things and it doesn't look like the A's will be playing here.
Hopefully I'm wrong.

I don't think the NHL is going to be expanding any time soon - and if it does, it's probably looking at the same timeline as the MLB (so, five or so years).

Ryan Smith is banking on the Coyotes relocating and that situation is all over the place. Last week, it was heavily believed that Gary Bettman would announce the plans for the Coyotes (whether the NHL would force a sale) shortly after the Super Bowl (like this week) but now it's been delayed and I know the Coyotes are working to bid on land that is going up for auction.

If you really want to get into conspiracies, some believe the NHL had no intention of announcing any decision with the Coyotes but wanted to put the heat off the sex scandal that has kicked up a mess of PR for the league the last few weeks and Ryan Smith was the patsy.

Do I believe that? It's a bit conspiratorial for me. But I think it's becoming more realistic that the NHL waits and sees what happens with the Coyotes and their land options before they make a move. The auction for the land they're hoping to build on will be posted March 14th.

[mstar]

Comrade, I think you're reading too much into this. I am a relative of Steve Starks and when I have been able to talk to him about the MLB plans - he has never waivered on the Power District being the location. LHM is investing a huge chuck of their assets in creating a massive development. I really don't think the Power District is that successful without the Stadium

[Comrade]

Originally Posted by mstar

Comrade, I think you're reading too much into this. I am a relative of Steve Starks and when I have been able to talk to him about the MLB plans - he has never waivered on the Power District being the location. LHM is investing a huge chuck of their assets in creating a massive development. I really don't think the Power District is that successful without the Stadium

I hope so. 'Preferred' just seems committing without committing lol

[mstar]

I am more worried about what Ryan Smith is going to do with a new arena. Moving the Jazz out of downtown would be a huge mistake IMO.

[Comrade]

Originally Posted by mstar

I am more worried about what Ryan Smith is going to do with a new arena. Moving the Jazz out of downtown would be a huge mistake IMO.

I'm not worried only because I fully expect it and that's why I worry about the MLB doing the same. It would be really disappointing if every major league team played in the suburbs.

[Atlas]

NHL seems unlikely, and I hope it doesn't happen anytime soon so there's no danger of losing the Jazz.

MLB seems more likely. With this much public rhetoric about the Power District site, and with the recent land purchases by the LHM around it, it would be surprising to see them swap sites. But your pessimism is certainly warranted, Comrade.

SLTrib says that it will cost a billion dollars to taxpayers for MLB. Relevant quote:

Under the framework, the state would issue hundreds of millions of dollars worth of bonds, essentially borrowing the money, then repay the debt with revenue generated by an increase to the transient room tax, or hotel tax.

Also relevant:

Rep. John Hawkins, R-Pleasant Grove, is sponsoring legislation that would put together a similar public financing package for a potential National Hockey League stadium for a team that Utah Jazz owner Ryan Smith is attempting to bring to the state, although sources say that that bill has been bogged down over questions of where the stadium might be located and identifying a clear financing mechanism.

[locolife]

Originally Posted by Atlas

NHL seems unlikely, and I hope it doesn't happen anytime soon so there's no danger of losing the Jazz.

MLB seems more likely. With this much public rhetoric about the Power District site, and with the recent land purchases by the LHM around it, it would be surprising to see them swap sites. But your pessimism is certainly warranted, Comrade.

SLTrib says that it will cost a billion dollars to taxpayers for MLB. Relevant quote:


Also relevant:

Cha-Ching do Utah taxpayers support a billion on a stadium? This is where this start to get interesting, always follow the money. FOS covered it as well, no details on paying for the stadium but here’s a nice rendering.

https://www.fieldofschemes.com/

[wrendog]

I'm fine with TRT. Let's get a team and stadium

[Makid]

Originally Posted by wrendog

I'm fine with TRT. Let's get a team and stadium

This is one of the reasons behind the TRT. Driving tourism/visitors to stay at the hotels and shop locally helping to pay for the Stadium(s) is great.

I figured that TRT would be brought out as the main source of public funds for the stadium. I do think we will see some property tax increment deals for the surrounding developments due to the publicly upgrades (Jordan River).

[Nebula3lem123]

sorry what does trt stand for?

[Comrade]

Testosterone replacement therapy.

[Nebula3lem123]

Y'know, if slc gets an expansion mlb team, we should just name it the bees and annihilate the current team because it would be a shame to relegate this logo to Daybreak


(joke)

[wrendog]

Couple of positives today. Jeff Passan, who is a big wig for baseball with ESPN and really has his pulse on MLB goings on wrote an article today about the "inevitability" of MLB expansion and that Nashville and SLC are the front runners.

https://www.espn.com/mlb/insider/sto...ando-charlotte

Also, the san francisco chronicle is reporting that the A's team president is saying that the choices for an interim site for the Athletics is the Coliseum, Sacramento and SLC

I can't imagine the Coliseum is really an option, so I think it's down to Sac town and SLC

[RC14]

Originally Posted by Nebula3lem123

Y'know, if slc gets an expansion mlb team, we should just name it the bees and annihilate the current team
(joke)

I have been saying this for years. Even before Big League Utah was a thing. Expect that I don't think they should eliminate the AAA team, they should just change the name and give the MLB team the Bee's name. It's the prefect name for a baseball team in SLC and it has history. The next best option is to revive the Salt Lake Trappers name.

[Nebula3lem123]

Apperantly the Salt Lake Skyscrapers were a thing in the 20s? That name would be cool too, albeit inaccurate

[locolife]

Originally Posted by wrendog

Couple of positives today. Jeff Passan, who is a big wig for baseball with ESPN and really has his pulse on MLB goings on wrote an article today about the "inevitability" of MLB expansion and that Nashville and SLC are the front runners.

https://www.espn.com/mlb/insider/sto...ando-charlotte

Also, the san francisco chronicle is reporting that the A's team president is saying that the choices for an interim site for the Athletics is the Coliseum, Sacramento and SLC

I can't imagine the Coliseum is really an option, so I think it's down to Sac town and SLC

Stories suggesting things are inevitable or certain to happen sure do get a lot of clicks and attention. But is there any actual new details here? Seems like it’s just restating everything we already know. Okay, it’s inevitable, unless it doesn’t happen then it isn’t.

[wrendog]

Originally Posted by locolife

Stories suggesting things are inevitable or certain to happen sure do get a lot of clicks and attention. But is there any actual new details here? Seems like it’s just restating everything we already know. Okay, it’s inevitable, unless it doesn’t happen then it isn’t.

Sure. But I take things more seriously when Jeff Passan is reporting. We are just excited. Good news, whether new or confirmed is fun

[Comrade]

Interesting: the legislature is putting up a bill that will raise sales tax to build a new NHL/NBA arena downtown:

https://www.sltrib.com/news/politics...nt-900k-taxes/

And it's sponsored by Dan McCay, who is a Republican.

[RC14]

From the article:

Sponsored by Sen. Dan McCay, R-Riverton, SB272 puts much of the decision-making power in the hands of Salt Lake City by letting the municipality create a sports and entertainment project area of up to 50 acres, allows bonds to be issued to build an arena and other infrastructure within that area and to impose a 0.5 percentage point sales tax increase citywide, including on food, in order to pay off those bonds.

[locolife]

I mean if you’re asking the public to chip in a billion, why not make it 2 billion? LOL. Good luck taking this to SLC voters. From the article, here come the opposition..

Advocates for affordable housing and the homeless have urged lawmakers to put as much effort into alleviating the burden unaffordable housing prices have put on low-income families as they are into sports venues.

And Kevin Greene, state director for Americans For Prosperity, a group that advocates for limited government, said his group is launching a grassroots effort to oppose the taxpayer financing of the stadiums.

“The studies all show that taxpayers do not ever win when we start paying for these types of things. It’s a lose-lose situation for everyone,” he said. “I really hope that Utah lawmakers think twice and Utah taxpayers step up and fight against this.”