But one word inserted into a piece of legislation Friday morning just might stop those machines - and it could be a major barrier for cities aiming to redevelop economic dead zones if Sen. Curtis Bramble ushers his bill through the waning days of the legislative session.

Late Friday, the Provo Republican found overwhelming support for Senate Bill 184 as the Senate voted 29-0 in favor of his redevelopment agency-reform bill - a measure that would prohibit cities from condemning property within RDA zones.

In SB184's latest version, Bramble added the word "not" and reversed Utah's RDA code so it reads, "an agency may not use eminent domain" within an RDA. That means an agency cannot condemn private property and force owners to sell to make way for an area's revitalization.

"Ogden is a perfect example," Bramble said. "You have homeowners who have said they don't want to sell their homes. So you have Ogden coming in and condemning their property and selling it to Wal-Mart."

"That's bad public policy."

Ogden officials are eyeing 34 homes and eight businesses that sit within a 21-acre RDA north of the historic Union Station and the new transit hub on Wall Avenue. In its place, the city plans to bring in a Wal-Mart with its jobs and sales-tax revenue.

More than a dozen property owners have balked at offers to buy out their land, prompting the city to threaten use of eminent domain to clear the tract of land.

"It's almost like a miracle," Dorothy Littrell, one of the opponents of Ogden's efforts, said of Bramble's bill.

Ogden Mayor Matthew Godfrey, who supports the Wal-Mart development, was unavailable Friday.

RDAs have been under fire since the legislative session opened. Some groups argue that RDAs do nothing but take money from schools and other taxing entities while pitting cities against each other to lure retailers, oftentimes big-box outlets, to their town. But cities contend RDAs are the most useful tool to redevelop their worst areas.

RDAs work when officials float bonds to pay for improvements - such as roads, sewer lines and utilities - and then use property-tax increases that result from that development to pay off the bonds. RDAs can tap property taxes for up to 32 years.

In the last week, cities attempting to beat the bill's deadline and "grandfather" projects from St. George to Sunset have authorized 14 blight studies, the first step in creating an RDA. In an typical year, six RDAs are created.

The Utah League of Cities and Towns is not opposing Bramble's bill, but may be coming back at the eminent domain issue next year, depending on a case argued before the U.S. Supreme Court earlier this week.

The court will decide whether eminent domain is a legal tool for cities to use in economic development. The case involves a Connecticut city that wants to condemn a waterfront neighborhood so it can be replaced by a hotel, office building and upscale housing development.

"That's the litmus test for us," said Lincoln Shurtz, a legislative analyst for the league.

As for the future of SB184, the Utah Taxpayer's Association says Bramble has gained support from enough groups that the bill will pass in the House before the Legislature ends next Wednesday.

"I think we've got it," said Mike Jerman, vice president of association. "I don't think we'll see a large-scale opposition in the House."

It is unclear whether the bill will come in time for the Ogden neighborhood. As it now reads, the measure would prohibit cities from condemning property in an RDA zone the day after it is signed by the governor.

But Ogden officials are planning to ask for permission to condemn the property of the holdouts early next month. Whoever moves first may end up on the winning side.

As for Jon Huntsman Jr.'s signature, the recently-elected governor has not committed to support or oppose the bill. He is "watching with interest," Huntsman's spokeswoman Tammy Kikuchi said.

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Tribune reporter Kristen Moulton contributed to this report.