2/13 News

[fuegote]

E38 anyone? 😉

[Section 37]

It gets better. Wait until you see

"Larry's Sokker Korner"

I know evryone's sick of my angst, but I've paid good money into RSL and I've believed the lines we've been fed

and to see this turn into a game where all the politicians and businessmen write each other checks has really soured me. They do it because they know they won't be held accountable.

We still patronize their businesses

We still vote for them.

So in a way, we deserve our team's home to become the biggest scam of the last ten years.

[Aerick]

I don't get it.

Where does all this animosity stem from?

The only source I can think of, is left-over resentment over the decision to build in Sandy versus Downtown. Now, everything Checkett's and Co does, and any politician involved, is being scrutinized under a microscope. Did this occur during the process for the Delta Center? Somehow, I doubt it. Perhaps, however, I just need to find the right forum/bb board to find an ongoing debate (after the fact) on the funding and political/social implications of the Delta Center.

Lest we all forget, we live in the United States of America, and development using the methods we've already seen is the American Way! Politics, big business, and money. If you want the guise of 'purity of interest', and 'altruistic methods' move to Europe. But here in the US, things are built by deals both publicly and behind closed doors.

As far as I can tell, this "scam" will likely be completely legal, nobody will die, nobody will go to jail, and noone will get cheated, therefore where can we realistically point blame? We get a stadium, and some other people get paid for getting it done, end of story. And before people start yelling about how the public is getting cheated, realize that only the naive will actually feel that they are being cheated.

I guess I'm just pissed that "fans" of the club are enhancing the negative propaganda that is working AGAINST the club. I just don't get it.

[Deuce]

Originally Posted by Aerick

I don't get it.

Where does all this animosity stem from?

The only source I can think of, is left-over resentment over the decision to build in Sandy versus Downtown. Now, everything Checkett's and Co does, and any politician involved, is being scrutinized under a microscope. Did this occur during the process for the Delta Center? Somehow, I doubt it. Perhaps, however, I just need to find the right forum/bb board to find an ongoing debate (after the fact) on the funding and political/social implications of the Delta Center.

Lest we all forget, we live in the United States of America, and development using the methods we've already seen is the American Way! Politics, big business, and money. If you want the guise of 'purity of interest', and 'altruistic methods' move to Europe. But here in the US, things are built by deals both publicly and behind closed doors.

As far as I can tell, this "scam" will likely be completely legal, nobody will die, nobody will go to jail, and noone will get cheated, therefore where can we realistically point blame? We get a stadium, and some other people get paid for getting it done, end of story. And before people start yelling about how the public is getting cheated, realize that only the naive will actually feel that they are being cheated.

I guess I'm just pissed that "fans" of the club are enhancing the negative propaganda that is working AGAINST the club. I just don't get it.

🕺:bandance: 🕺
What he said!

[Section 37]

So what's the problem with everything the politicians do being scrutinized under a microscope? And face it. RSL executives are public figures now. They're asking for public money to build something that we in turn support with our expendable income. Why are they exempt? We're talking $150 mil here.

Just because we're fans doesn't mean we should write anyone a blank check. 'Stadium at any cost' is not my mantra. And it doesn't make me a "fan" instead of just a fan.

I think it's convenient to blame linering downtown angst, but our government is finally starting to do things a little differently thanks to transparency and public attention that has been lacking for other projects. The Family Center at Fort Union is being partially torn out because politicians gave developers a blank check illegally fifteen years ago.

These are baby steps, I know, but they must continue. This project must be particularly scrutinized because it involves many of those who are repeat offenders of the public trust in terms of the relationship between business and government and campaigns. Dolan, Horiuchi, Curtis, Bramble, etc.

I myself have been active in these issues for a long time. Just because RSL decided to make their bed with them doesn't make me their friends. I'm a fan of the team. I show up at games because I love the game and our guys.

I don't wear a Dean Howes jersey.

[RSL Fortaleza Menina]

Originally Posted by Section 37

So what's the problem with everything the politicians do being scrutinized under a microscope? And face it. RSL executives are public figures now. They're asking for public money to build something that we in turn support with our expendable income. Why are they exempt? We're talking $150 mil here.

Just because we're fans doesn't mean we should write anyone a blank check. 'Stadium at any cost' is not my mantra. And it doesn't make me a "fan" instead of just a fan.

I think it's convenient to blame linering downtown angst, but our government is finally starting to do things a little differently thanks to transparency and public attention that has been lacking for other projects. The Family Center at Fort Union is being partially torn out because politicians gave developers a blank check illegally fifteen years ago.

These are baby steps, I know, but they must continue. This project must be particularly scrutinized because it involves many of those who are repeat offenders of the public trust in terms of the relationship between business and government and campaigns. Dolan, Horiuchi, Curtis, Bramble, etc.

I myself have been active in these issues for a long time. Just because RSL decided to make their bed with them doesn't make me their friends. I'm a fan of the team. I show up at games because I love the game and our guys.

I don't wear a Dean Howes jersey.

Well said, 37. You're not alone.

[Aerick]

Originally Posted by Section 37

So what's the problem with everything the politicians do being scrutinized under a microscope? And face it. RSL executives are public figures now. They're asking for public money to build something that we in turn support with our expendable income. Why are they exempt? We're talking $150 mil here.

Nothing's wrong with scrutinizing politicians' actions. It just seems that this is all misdirected, which is where my impression that this stems from the Sandy decision comes from. Would we still be scrutinizing this deal if it were made downtown and required creative public funding of some sort? I doubt it. Even if it were for $150,000,000. Instead, we'd be hearing things like "$150 million in downtown is going to make the sweetest stadium in the league!!"

Originally Posted by Section 37

Just because we're fans doesn't mean we should write anyone a blank check. 'Stadium at any cost' is not my mantra. And it doesn't make me a "fan" instead of just a fan.

I agree. However, this is anything but a blank check. We already know that the public isn't going to fund the lion's share of the $150,000,000 - more like a third, and that's inline with the Delta Center funding (in today's dollars). However, I probably shouldn't have put "fan" in quotes like I did, implying that dissent was a form of anti-fanmanship. I apologize for that. I understand many of the dissenter's to be great fans of the sport and the team (in relation to it's players)

Originally Posted by Section 37

I think it's convenient to blame linering downtown angst, but our government is finally starting to do things a little differently thanks to transparency and public attention that has been lacking for other projects. The Family Center at Fort Union is being partially torn out because politicians gave developers a blank check illegally fifteen years ago.

These are baby steps, I know, but they must continue. This project must be particularly scrutinized because it involves many of those who are repeat offenders of the public trust in terms of the relationship between business and government and campaigns. Dolan, Horiuchi, Curtis, Bramble, etc.

How come these guys are still in office then? If they've done something illegally, or even something unethically, shouldn't they be removed from office? At the very least, if they've breached the public trust, why hasn't the public removed them by voting in others? Lack of awareness, or just differing opinions?

Originally Posted by Section 37

I myself have been active in these issues for a long time. Just because RSL decided to make their bed with them doesn't make me their friends. I'm a fan of the team. I show up at games because I love the game and our guys.

I don't wear a Dean Howes jersey.

What we should be doing instead, is realizing how lucky we are to have a team, and that we are going to have a stadium light years ahead of other teams in terms of the ratio of established team years to stadium built, and that we have politicians that are willing to work with the team to help it get done - regardless of where it's placed, and how it's funded (as long as it's legal).

What we actually have, are people that are up in arms over something that is legal, and ethical - even if it may appear to skirt the edges of either. And it may end up gaining steam that ends up hurting the team or our chances for having a stadium built in a reasonable time frame. Ridiculous. I'm all for taking the high road, but I kinda doubt that this is what's happening here. Again, I think it's just lingering resentment over "what could have been".

Anyway, I may be way off base, but that's my perception after reading negative opinion after negative opinion on this topic.

[Burninator]

Originally Posted by AreliusIII

http://www.ksl.com/?nid=148&sid=163055

Check out the reader commentary on this link. SLC resentment? Sounds pretty accurate...

:rei: Geoff

[SoccerPrime]

It does sound like SLC is backing off from the "lawsuit" mentality because of Sandy getting the stadium and using their money for a parking garage.

[Burninator]

http://www.realsaltlake.org/forums/showthread.php?t=3202

And so many people thought that MLS couldn't make any money...

I wonder how successful Pizza Hut Park was last year. Maybe some positive examples will help soften up the SLC soccer haters...

:rei: Geoff