Yet the first attack may already have come from Salt Lake County lawmakers, who say a $30 million bond for a $60 million stadium isn't going to happen this year - and perhaps never.

With money tied up in the Children's Museum, Clark Planetarium and the proposed Salt Palace expansion, the County Council says there is no appetite for taking a lucrative bond initiative to voters in 2005.

"The likelihood of us holding a special election [for a soccer stadium] in November is zero," Council Chairman Michael Jensen says.

Real (pronounced "Reee-al") Salt Lake Chief Executive Officer Dean Howes is calling on the county to "be open" until the team presents its business plan.

"I'm surprised that he says something so definite before he knows," says Howes, explaining the team has an option to play a third year at the University of Utah's Rice-Eccles Stadium in 2007, following the first two seasons.

But if officials or voters defeat a bond initiative in, say, the 2006 general election, RSL isn't saying what would happen next.

"We don't think about that," Howes says. "We think, if we do our job, then it won't [fail]."

Before talking bond, soccer officials must pick a location for the stadium. Within two weeks, they say, downtown Salt Lake City or Murray will be selected. Then executives plan to unveil stadium details for the county's debt-review board.

"I don't think until that part of it's done that we can truly gauge the timing of this," says Howes, stressing the team has committed to funding half the cost of a 22,000-seat stadium.

But County Councilman Mark Crockett questions using tax money for a sports venue - at any time.

"Relative to fixing Millcreek's water system for fires, open space on the Jordan River Parkway or expanding Meals on Wheels for the elderly, I find it hard to justify spending county money on a soccer-specific stadium," he says. "If Miami and Tampa can't make soccer work with their huge Latino populations, I really doubt Salt Lake can make it work."

Since its inception a decade ago, Major League Soccer has expanded to new markets, contracted the Florida franchises, and expanded again.

Republicans and Democrats on the council appear equally skeptical about the chance for success in Utah.

How many soccer moms and dads cart their kids to games on Saturday nights at Rice-Eccles will be worth watching, Councilwoman Jenny Wilson says. "What's still unknown is if this is a priority to the people of Salt Lake County."

Councilman Jim Bradley agrees attendance will be key. "It's not realistic to expect Salt Lake County to step up to the table in the next year."

But, Bradley says, RSL has an opportunity over the next two years to show they have an operation that attracts fans. "Then it could be a different story."

Josh Ewing, a consultant for the team, says RSL owner Dave Checketts is committed long-term to seeing professional soccer in Utah. "He doesn't want to own a team in any other city."

Ewing, who says a stadium will require a public/private partnership, insists RSL eventually can win the public trust. "If we fail in showing the voters how important the project can be, we'll have to see what we did wrong and what can be done to convince them."

For his part, Councilman Randy Horiuchi would like to see it played out at the polls. "I've always erred on the side of letting the public decide on critical capital facilities," he says.

But others worry paying for a Salt Palace expansion and existing bonds - an aquarium bond continues to float on the periphery - could be compounded by a possible transportation tax.

"We have a lot of things ahead of it," Councilman Marv Hendrickson says. "It's going to take a lot of salesmanship."

Even Councilman David Wilde, who represents Murray and expects to be lobbied by city officials eager to land the stadium, remains skeptical.

"It's going to take some pretty persuasive arguing to get me to vote for it," he says. "In my heart, I feel it ought to be privately financed."

djensen@sltrib.com