Ralph Becker, Dave Buhler, Keith Christensen and Jenny Wilson answered questions from online uploaders during the 30-minute event broadcast Sunday night on KUTV Channel 2. The debate was sponsored by The Salt Lake Tribune and KUTV.

In his videotaped question, Bill Shadrach of Salt Lake City accused Mayor Rocky Anderson, Gov. Jon Huntsman Jr. and legislators of "backroom" dealing to secure $35 million of Salt Lake County hotel taxes for Real Salt Lake's $110 million stadium.

"What will you do to prevent politics from occurring behind locked doors in backrooms?" he asked.

But the candidates nearly missed the point of his question in their rush to kick the political fútbol. Christensen tried to score points on the issue.

"These are the three who were at the table when [the stadium deal] came," said Christensen, a former city councilman and the only one of the four candidates who didn't have at least a small role in the drawn-out soccer politicking.

Buhler argued the City Council was never included, but Christensen wouldn't let him off the hook.

"You're still saying the [Utah State] Fairpark makes sense" for the stadium, Christensen cried to Buhler, who said the project never should have gone to Sandy and argued the subsidy should have been put to a public vote.

"It wasn't about soccer. It was always about real estate," said Christensen, referencing RSL's and Sandy's broader plans to make the stadium an anchor for a commercial megadevelopment.

Becker, who voted for the funding in the Legislature but now regrets that decision, criticized Anderson's part in the stadium negotiations.

"The way this deal was handled was wrong and will never happen under my administration."

Jenny Wilson, a member of the Salt Lake County Council, initially voted to give the team hotel tax dollars - contingent upon a strict financial review of RSL.

"[Mayor] Peter Corroon and I agreed, in the end, it was a bad deal, and the state went ahead and did it anyway. I find that disappointing. . . . Government needs to operate in front of the cameras, in front of the public eye."

Buhler later took a jab at Christensen for dropping his GOP affiliation after entering the mayor's race.

KUTV moderator Rod Decker told Buhler, "You're the only Republican out of the bunch [the four top candidates]."

Buhler retorted, "I am now."

The mayor's race is officially nonpartisan. But a Republican has not been elected to lead Utah's left-leaning capital in more than 30 years. Wilson, the front-runner in the race, and Becker are Democrats. Christensen is now unaffiliated.

One YouTuber, with the screen name "Alienatedwannabe," asked if making downtown more "family-friendly" would be a bigger boon than increasing "night life."

Wilson, Becker and Christensen argued the city needs more bars, not fewer. Buhler felt more comfortable with the status quo, but said the city needs more restaurants with liquor licenses.

Christensen said downtown has to be inviting to "all of us."

"It's about the responsible use of alcohol. Not everyone has to partake."

Becker labeled the alcohol ordinances "out of date."

"We should be not limiting our clubs and liquor establishments artificially the way we do. . . . Let the market decide."

An urban planner, Becker also called The Gateway the worst decision for downtown in recent years.

Christensen, a successful entrepreneur, touted his experience in business as an asset he would use to lure economic development to the city center.

Wilson stressed her vision for a "creative economy," drawing on "bright, young minds" to revitalize downtown.

Buhler said Anderson "dropped the ball" when The Tribune moved its presses off Main Street. "It pains me that The Salt Lake Tribune is now published in West Valley City."

The candidates were asked if they would stand up to the LDS Church as it develops its City Creek Center and if they would work to heal the city's religious divide.

"I will work to bridge the gap between LDS and non-LDS. The best of our city is us uniting," Wilson said. "We will work with the LDS Church as a developer - no special favors."

Buhler boasted about being the first candidate to endorse the LDS Church's plans for a Main Street sky bridge as part of the mall overhaul.

He vowed to treat the church and its development partner, Taubman Centers Inc., "fairly."

Becker, who did not address the religious-division question, said City Creek "as a whole will be fabulous."

"We make decisions based on what are the best public decisions for the whole community - regardless of who comes forward to the city."

Christensen said "divisiveness need not be present."

He called the LDS Church "a marvelous corporate asset in this city," but said he might have designed the 20-acre mixed-use project a "bit different."

Buhler and Wilson have endorsed the skywalk. Christensen, after months of research, embraced it as well. After the debate, Becker said he would rather not see a skywalk but vowed not to block the project.

The candidates agreed that city police officers should not be cross-deputized to enforce federal immigration laws, when asked by Latino advocate and attorney Sean Reyes.

Christensen did not mention he once voted for a pilot program to test just that when he was a councilman. He now lists that vote as one he regrets.

"Every individual in this city," Christensen said, "must feel like they can call on law enforcement if a crime is occurring - without fear of deportation."

rwinters@sltrib.com