That's how many petition signatures they need from 15 of Utah's 29 counties by the end of business Monday to force a public vote on the Legislature's plan to funnel $35 million in Salt Lake County hotel taxes toward land, parking and infrastructure for a $110 million stadium in Sandy.

To that end, a final push is under way this weekend to gather those signatures.

"The people should have a say," said Nancy Schofield, who signed the petition last week at Shirlyn's Natural Foods in Taylorsville. "There's too much backroom dealing in this whole government of ours. There are other things [the state] should be investing in."

But Schofield worries would-be signers will struggle, like she did, to find a place to sign the petition, and the referendum effort could fall short.

Organizer Brad Swedlund concedes the grass-roots campaign, "Get Real Utah," faces a daunting task.

Last month, the group's Web site estimated that it had 32,000 signatures. But Swedlund acknowledges there's not a "good accounting system."

Enough booklets are in circulation to collect 100,000 names, but gatherers have been asked to mail completed petitions to their county clerks. RSL owner Dave Checketts said he recognizes the referendum campaign as "part of the political process."

"They certainly have a right to do what they feel is right," Checketts said last week while surveying the stadium site at 9256 S. State St.

But he worries the public is reacting to "misinformation."

"People have tried to persuade others that this is about taxes coming out of schools or taxes that won't be available to build roads. And nothing could be further from the truth."

Checketts, who launched a media blitz last week touting the project's benefits, noted the hotel taxes are collected from tourists, "92 percent" of whom are from outside Utah. By law, hotel-tax revenue must be reinvested in projects that promote tourism.

"The Real Madrid game last summer was televised in over 100 countries," with backdrops of the Wasatch Mountains, Checketts said. "That's promoting tourism."

Gov. Jon Huntsman Jr. championed the stadium-funding plan after Salt Lake County Mayor Peter Corroon rejected a similar deal, deeming it a poor investment of taxpayer dollars.

Opinion polls at the time showed most Utahns disapproved of public financing for the stadium.

Sandy has pledged $10 million toward the project.

Stadium construction is expected to begin in earnest next month, with an opening slated for the summer of 2008 during RSL's fourth season in Utah - one the team hopes is its first as defending Major League Soccer champions.

rwinters@sltrib.com