House Speaker Greg Curtis said Friday he still prefers spending $35 million in hotel taxes for land and infrastructure connected to a Real Salt Lake stadium in Sandy. But if Salt Lake County rejects the plan, he sees that money helping to fund a TRAX line to Salt Lake City International Airport.

"If it [the Sandy stadium] doesn't happen, you're not going to see me go nuts," Curtis said. "Why don't we take that tax and give that tax . . . to UTA to help build the light-rail line downtown to the airport? I think there's good policy in doing it."

The catch: If the tax goes to TRAX, the money won't be available to bankroll other county priorities, including building up a cultural district with a Broadway-size theater.

Curtis, the Sandy Republican who helped pave the way to fund the soccer venue in his hometown, acknowledges his TRAX proposal could "possibly" undercut the stadium plan.

He said he is proposing it because Salt Lake County Mayor Peter Corroon rejected an earlier stadium-funding scheme. At the same time, demand is swelling for more transit throughout the county. Tapping the hotel taxes would reduce the amount of sales or property taxes residents would have to pay for new TRAX lines.

Right now, the county is considering an $890 million bond that would extend light rail to Draper, West Valley City, West Jordan/South Jordan and the airport.

Curtis' idea for funding an airport line caught the county, Sandy and the Utah Transit Authority off guard.

Randy Sant, Sandy's economic development director, hopes it falls flat. "Hopefully it won't discourage the county from stepping up to the plate and funding soccer."

An RSL official didn't return a phone call Friday.

Curtis said he would be "pretty much done with stadium discussions" if the county rejects the venue venture. "Somebody else will have to come up with a plan."

The speaker's alternative already may be changing minds.

County Councilman Joe Hatch said he has been willing to seriously consider siding with Sandy. But when informed of the TRAX alternative, he said he prefers funding light rail.

"I'm extremely intrigued. That makes it very difficult for me to consider the Sandy proposal. I sure want a Salt Lake airport line."

Hatch noted the extension could bolster Salt Lake City's alternative proposal to place the stadium at the Utah State Fairpark because it would be near the TRAX line. But the fairgrounds also would require using the hotel tax, albeit half of what Sandy would tap.

Downtown hoteliers have been opposed to steering hotel taxes to the soccer stadium, arguing the venue won't aid the tourism industry. They may not embrace using the money for light rail, either.

"There's probably more potential merit for that than soccer in Sandy," said Steve Lindburg, general manager of the Hilton Salt Lake City Center.

But he doesn't see the airport line as a legitimate use of taxes earmarked to promote tourism. "I don't see that as an attraction to bringing folks to town. It makes it easier for locals to travel. It's not really a tourism item."

Curtis acknowledged he would have to change the law to roll hotel taxes toward transit.

Lindburg wants to see the hotel tax create a capital reserve fund for the Salt Palace to keep the convention center up to date. And he would like to use the money to pay for a downtown cultural district, which he maintains would draw tourists.

"People go where people go. If we have a vibrant downtown, there will be more desire to bring conventions."

But under Curtis' plan, no money would be left for other projects.

There would be extra cash if the county helps fund the soccer stadium. Curtis estimates $90 million is available with the hotel tax - though the county Chief Administrative Officer Doug Willmore puts it at $60 million. With $35 million pegged to stadium development, $55 million would be left for other ventures.

Either way, strong support exists for additional TRAX spurs. A Tribune poll shows 60 percent of county voters back the $890 million property-tax bond to expand light rail. And the Salt Lake Chamber touts a rival plan to fund transit and roads statewide through sales-tax hikes.

Curtis has broached his airport-line funding alternative with the chamber, which needs legislative support for its plan.

"It's certainly an idea worth considering," said chamber-policy analyst Natalie Gochnour of Curtis' concept. "It's a major attraction in a city when you can come into a city on the rail line."

hmay@sltrib.com

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Tribune reporter Jacob Santini contributed to this story.

Workman urges residents to lobby for stadium

Nancy Workman wants to do something else for the kids - in this case, soccer kids. Workman, the former Salt Lake County mayor who now heads the Sandy Area Chamber of Commerce, is rallying support for a Sandy soccer stadium. In an e-mail obtained by The Salt Lake Tribune, she urges residents to lobby county officials to back Sandy's push for hotel taxes to help fund the project. She singles out Mayor Peter Corroon and Councilman Marv Hendrickson, whom observers see as a possible veto-proof vote if Corroon strikes down a council decision for the stadium. Workman rattles off a list of reasons for backing the stadium funding plan, including a boosted economy, increased tourism and keeping Real Salt Lake in Utah. "This is not about Sandy vs. Salt Lake," she writes. "It's about soccer in Sandy or not at all." She also says "a yes vote is for the kids. Kids and soccer. It will be huge for them." At the end, she writes: "Did I mention our soccer kids?" Workman, who could not be reached Friday, was charged several years ago - and later acquitted - with funneling taxpayer money to pay for bookkeepers at a boys and girls club. She insisted back then she did it "for the kids."