But the city of North Salt Lake, which owns the land located within Salt Lake City boundaries, puts the price tag closer to $16 million.

Undaunted by the hefty sum, members of Salt Lake County's open-space board are expected to make the $300,000 offer official today in a meeting with the Salt Lake County Council, which has final approval on how to use the county's $2.7 million fund for open space.

"There are many of us on the [county's open-space] board who think this is an important piece of land worth preserving," says Rita Lund, who serves on Salt Lake County's open-space board. "We realize the county has no say over the land, but we think this would be a good use of the county's open-space fund if it will help Salt Lake City resolve this issue."

Salt Lake City officials requested the county's assistance to help them raise funds to purchase the property in case North Salt Lake City decides to sell it to preservationists and not to developers. North Salt Lake wants to develop 30 acres on the bench, with 20 going for housing and 10 for a cemetery. Salt Lake City leaders, who rejected that proposal last month by zoning the property as open space, oppose North Salt Lake's plans.

Mayor Rocky Anderson aims to hold a lunchtime rally Wednesday at Library Square to raise more awareness - if not funds - to save the land from development.

Anderson won't say much more about the rally other than he plans to announce "measures that we intend to take to make certain this is preserved."

But the rally has some Salt Lake City officials concerned the public display will do more harm than good to the already strained relationship with its neighbor to the north.

"He didn't say anything to [the other City Council members]," said Councilman Dale Lambert. "I'm not sure it's productive."

Indeed, the postcards - depicting a backhoe and a photo of the hilltop property - Salt Lake City used to entice residents to Wednesday's event did little impress North Salt Lake officials.

"I look around and I see that Karl Malone was able to build a mansion on the Salt Lake City side and I wonder what their problem is," North Salt Lake Mayor Kay Briggs said Monday.

Briggs said Salt Lake City could buy back the property for $16 million, the sum he says developers are willing the pay him for the property.

"That's the whole 80 acres," Briggs explained. "If they just want the 30 acres like we are taking about developing, that would run them about $6 million. Please keep in mind we aren't talking about developing the whole thing, just making a trail head and a gateway so people can get up to the 100,000 acres of open space that's already up there - since Salt Lake City won't."

Briggs said he may attend the rally, but likely would not make a statement.

"I'd like to bring some easels and things and show people what we are trying to do, but they probably wouldn't listen," he said.

lorib@sltrib.com

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Tribune reporter Heather May contributed to this story.