This is an archived article that was published on sltrib.com in 2014, and information in the article may be outdated. It is provided only for personal research purposes and may not be reprinted.
Without discussion Tuesday, the Salt Lake City Council, acting as the Redevelopment Agency board, voted to allocate $537,072 to purchase unidentified real estate that may or may not be for sale.
The allocation was earmarked for property on Block 70 where the Utah Performing Arts Center will be built on Main Street between 100 South and 200 South. But neither the RDA staff, nor the board would identify which parcels were being considered.
Councilman James Rogers was the lone "no" vote. Councilwoman Lisa Adams was absent. But Council members Kyle LaMalfa, Erin Mendenhall, Stan Penfold, Luke Garrott and Charlie Luke voted in favor of the allocation.
"I don't think the funding appropriate unless the property is identified," Rogers said in an interview.
RDA Chairman Stan Penfold had earlier said money was needed in the event that property on the block became available. He added that such a purchase could not come out of the $116 million budget for the mega-theater because that budget already is tight.
The Broadway-style theater is slated to open in July 2016. The project includes improvements on Regent Street to the east of the planned theater, which is planned to include a small plaza. Potential purchases of real estate could be connected to the plaza and a walkway planned between Main and Regent Streets, according to city sources.