After seven years, highlighted by animated hearings, records requests and a court fight, the feud over a public sports complex alongside the Jordan River has all but ended. For opponents of the 16-field soccer center near Rose Park, it is sudden death. By matching 6-1 votes, the City Council on Tuesday approved Mayor Ralph Becker’s 44-acre restoration plan for the river corridor near 2200 North as well as a zoning change from agricultural to open space and public land. The move greases final release — expected next month — of $20.8 million in bond money and a matching gift from Real Salt Lake that should allow construction to start this fall on the soccer complex voters first approved (for $15.3 million) back in 2003.
The council has tentatively set Sept. 7 to vote on the money’s final release, ending a saga that started with Mayor Rocky Anderson. It nearly went into extra time this week after the conservation group Jordan River Restoration Network attempted to get a temporary restraining order to prevent Tuesday’s hearings. On Monday, a district court judge denied the request.
The scaled back plan calls for 15 regular soccer fields, seven to be under lights, and one lit championship field with seating for 2,000. There will be bathrooms, concessions stands and roughly 1,000 parking stalls. Officials target the fall of 2011 for completion. The so-called restoration plan sets aside 23 acres on the west bank of the river and 21 acres on the east side as open space. It also calls for two irrigation ponds and 600 trees. Becker hopes the move will repair the riparian corridor — providing flood-plain protection — and restore wildlife habitat. But due to a surge in utilities costs, a water well, and a revised plan to add a 3,000-square-foot administration building, the two baseball fields planned for phase one have been pushed back indefinitely. The Salt Lake Tribune
