A week after state lawmakers went home, Salt Lake County officials convened to assess the damage. The verdict: not nearly as bad as predicted. Despite being stripped of $35 million in hotel taxes to fund land and infrastructure for a Sandy soccer stadium, County Council members Tuesday called it a "better scenario" than the deal rejected by Mayor Peter Corroon. Now, they noted, the county can use the $20 million in hotel tax, once allotted for a parking garage, to pay down bond debt instead. "If they were going to inflict pain, that's the kind of pain we can deal with," Councilman Joe Hatch said about the legislators. On another front, county leaders say they have options to offset the $1.8 million annual hit to the Zoo, Arts and Parks fund. That is the amount the county will lose due to a state tax shift that will reduce the sales-tax percentage on food. Concern persists that the council may be forced to scale back ZAP funding or perhaps the recreation project list. But on Tuesday, Chief Financial Officer Darrin Casper told the group other cities may help fill the gap. For instance, Salt Lake City may kick in cash to overhaul the Central City Recreation Center, Casper said. And Herriman may contribute toward a multi-use rec center planned for the southwest valley. The council will decide how to handle the ZAP gap later this month. - Derek P. Jensen