Now, they may be sorry they did that.

Dolan helped negotiate a deal with legislators that guarantees the money for the Salt Palace, plus $20 million for parking facilities at Sandy's South Towne Exposition Center.

The state will allocate $4 million and Salt Lake City $8 million to augment the $70 million Salt Lake County commitment. But the deal requires that Salt Lake City put up the money immediately, rather than over time. That will stress the city's budget and make it harder to fund other projects, like a proposed professional soccer stadium.

While Salt Lake City officials thought Murray was their only competition for Real Salt Lake, Dolan has been meeting quietly with Salt Lake County Council members and County Mayor Peter Corroon to bring the professional soccer team to Sandy.

Salt Lake City Council members discovered those secret negotiations just last weekend and have been furiously discussing their options.

But it might be too late. And here's the cherry on top: The $8 million Salt Lake City is putting up for the Salt Palace expansion is part of the pot Dolan is using to try to pluck the soccer stadium away from Salt Lake City and Murray.

Dolan wants the county to buy about 20 acres of land across the street from South Towne. Instead of using the entire $20 million for a multilevel parking structure, Dolan is recommending a cheaper surface-only parking lot that would accommodate both the exposition center and the soccer stadium crowds.

The savings would be used to purchase the land near the Expo Center for the soccer stadium.

Dolan also needs the County Council to approve a bond election to raise the money to build the stadium.

Sandy's lobbyist, by the way, is Tetris Corp., which also happens to be a lobbyist for Salt Lake County.

One-upmanship: Besides help from the Salt Lake County Council, Sandy Mayor Tom Dolan may also be seeking divine intervention to help his city beat out Salt Lake City and Murray for a professional soccer stadium.

The third annual Sandy Mayor's Prayer Breakfast was held Wednesday at the Lone Peak Pavilion in Sandy. It was sponsored by the Healthy Sandy Partnership and the Sandy Area Chamber of Commerce.

The purpose of the event, according to the invitation, was "to give thanks to Almighty God for the blessings He has poured out upon Sandy City, its government, its residents and businesses."

Perhaps Rocky Anderson should initiate a Mayor's Prayer Breakfast for Salt Lake City.

Lost money: Julie, a single mother with three young children, cashed her child support check at the US Bank inside the Smith's Food and Drug on 2100 South and 900 East Wednesday. She then purchased milk from the store. When she returned home, she discovered the money was gone.

If you found the lost cash in that area, contact me and I'll contact her.

prolly@sltrib.com