"They seem to be two completely different concepts," Jodi Hoffman, a lobbyist for the Utah League of Cities and Towns, told the Murray City Council on Tuesday night.

Hoffman was invited to speak to the council about how to craft transit-oriented developments around two Murray light-rail stations: Murray North, 4400 South; and Murray Central, 5200 South.

"I'd be surprised to see [a soccer stadium] attract housing," she said.

The reason: The stadium that the fledgling Real Salt Lake soccer team envisions near the Murray North TRAX station would attract thousands of fans but also would bring a "sea of asphalt" for parking - even though light rail would shuttle many spectators to the games. That parking probably would eliminate some housing from a mixed-use development near the 4400 South station.

But Mayor Daniel Snarr maintains the two concepts can mesh.

Murray and Salt Lake City are the two finalists for a $60 million, 22,000-seat stadium. A final decision on which city will host Real (pronounced Ree-al) Salt Lake is expected in late January. The team will play at the University of Utah's Rice-Eccles Stadium until it gets its own home.

Murray's bid is based on its location near the Murray North TRAX station and plans to redevelop surrounding areas.

A recent team-commissioned poll found Murray was the preferred site - as 36 percent said they wanted it in the central Salt Lake Valley city. Barely 14 percent favored a downtown Salt Lake City location.

As Murray officials court the team, they also have their eye on luring high-density housing and a variety of businesses to pedestrian-friendly developments near the Murray North and Murray Central TRAX stations. Intermountain Health Care already is building a huge hospital/medical campus east of Murray Central.

"I've been excited about this concept for years," council member Patricia Griffiths said. "I just want to see it happen."

The concept is similar to that of The Gateway, the shopping-housing-entertainment district on the western fringe of downtown Salt Lake City. Housing and office space would be developed on upper floors. Street levels would boast shops, restaurants and other services.

In Murray's case, leaders would like even more variety than Gateway. The area - a half-mile radius around the light-rail station - would be self-sufficient with small grocery stores, dry cleaners and salons to match the restaurants and retailers.

jsantini@sltrib.com