Even as the ink dries on a Blueprint Jordan River masterplan recommendation that all remaining open space along the Jordan River Corridor be purchased at a cost of up to $350 million to preserve rapidly vanishing, high value natural areas, Salt Lake City Mayor Ralph Becker is pushing hard to develop a massive commercial facility on PUBLIC land within the river flood plain-- at a cost to taxpayers of up to $25 million.

The  proposed Sports Complex -a total of 18 soccer fields, 8 baseball diamonds, parking for 1,300 to 2,000 cars, would sprawl across 160 acres of prime Jordan River bottomlands potential wetlands and wildlife habitat restoration areas.

 Site of the proposed 160-acre commercial sports complex on the Jordan River north of Salt Lake City

Download the full panoramic view

The proposed Sports Complex would be primarily devoted to use for regional soccer tournaments and would be managed by a concessionaire  as a commercial enterprise.    It would generate tax revenue for local governments and economic benefits for the local economy--enough justification for any politician.  But it does not have to be installed on prime wildlife habitat that was under several feet of water for 2 years during the flooding of 1983-4.   It does not have to be installed on land that was purchased with federal Land and Water Conservation Fund money, at taxpayer expense, specifically for the purpose of flood control!

A superior alternative site, also on undeveloped public lands, but well away from the river corridor, lies west of 5600 West and south of California Avenue (1300 South) within Salt Lake City.

Proposed alternative sports complex site--Salt Lake County owned land along 5600 West at 1300 South

Download full panoramic view of alternative site

Although it is a classic taxpayer-subsidized development scam, the irony of Mayor Becker's initiative is rich.   In 2008 Salt Lake County, Salt Lake City and other municipalities up and down the river ponied up $300,000 of taxpayer dollars to pay for a year-long study to masterplan the future of the Jordan River.

The planners surveyed the public and received an overwhelming mandate for preservation of open space, and specifically preservation of wetlands and wildlife habitat.

Asked to describe their overarching vision for the future of the river corridor, the public favored "Green Corridor" over "Mixed Use Corridor" by a ratio of eleven to one.

Asked what type of recreational activities they favored within the corridor, the public specifically and resoundingly rejected "sports fields", preferring "natural areas for wildlife viewing" by a towering ratio of 34 to 1.

Tragically, the Blueprint Jordan River masterplan itself emphatically rubber-stamps the creation of 6 new commercial centers within the river flood plain in ADDITION to the proposed sports complex, which is not even mentioned in the plan.   And behind the scenes city planners have actually identified more like 12-14 sites for huge new shopping centers and/or office complexes.

What are these proposed "Mixed Use" areas going to look like?  The mix of uses is at least three:  "retail"--e.g. shopping centers,  "residential"--e.g., densely packed condominium blocks;  3.)  clusters of office buildings up to 5 stories high.

Following is a rendering of  a typical "mixed use" development along a river in Toledo, Ohio:

Fellow citizens and impoverished taxayers: this is NOT what we asked for!

Don't just take this punishment in the teeth.   Stand up and fight back.   Help us to help you save our last fragments of open natural land before it is too late! 

Ray Wheeler

Executive Director, Earth Restoration Network