How Did RSL Succeed Where So Many Have Failed?

Deseret Morning News columnist Lee Benson wonders how in the world Real Salt Lake ended up getting its stadium deal, especially after it was denounced by financial reports and flatly denied local taxpayer money. How, he asks, did it come to pass that the state saved soccer in Utah?

“Overnight,” says Benson, “a deal that had been studied upside down and sideways for nearly two years by the county and declared ‘too risky by Salt Lake County Mayor Peter Corroon was declared “a solid investment” by [Utah Gov. Jon] Huntsman.” With the exception of the Utah Jazz, Benson points out that sports teams have tried and failed in Salt Lake City. Often, he says, it was the state that killed these deals, so what makes RSL and MLS so special?

Surely it isn’t David Beckham. How many people in Salt Lake actually know who he is, anyway? Instead, Gov. Jon Huntsman told Benson that it wasn’t about soccer at all. “This is about lost or missed opportunity. This is something I believe over time will prove to be valuable in terms of our economy and our quality of life.” Funny, Benson says, try explaining a hunch to an accountant.