The tone, in a word, ugly.

"I see you sold your soul," writes Eric Wadley, with the subject line titled "Real Fiasco." "Glad to know that you and all of our elected officials are so spineless when the going gets tough. Guv puts a little pressure on, Greg Curtis squeezes a little, Tom Dolan whines and Rocky rants, and that bastard Checketts puts the used-car salesman sales pressure on you . . . and, boom, you give away $60 million bucks . . . absolutely absurd. I hope you and your county cohorts can live with yourselves. Public stewards? A COMPLETE JOKE."

So goes a litany of letters obtained by The Salt Lake Tribune that choked computers in both Corroon's office and that of the council, whose members voted 5-4 Tuesday to approve what Corroon called a "letter of intent" with Real Salt Lake.

Staff in the mayor's office say 75 percent of some 200 e-mails lambaste the funding deal - the county has pledged $40 million in old and new hotel taxes - while that number leaps to more than 90 percent opposed on the council side.

Some common themes: RSL owner Checketts is a millionaire "crybaby" who should bankroll a Sandy stadium himself. The plan is a "damn soccer rip-off" and a "shady backroom deal" crafted with no regard for the public. And Corroon, who opposed an earlier stadium plan but helped craft the latest terms, will be a one-term mayor.

"So, with two-thirds of county residents opposed to public funding for a soccer stadium, the county is going to thumb their noses in the face of their constituents and do so anyway," writes Reed Haslam. ". . . We will bury Utah politicians who think they simply know better than the public they represent."

Indeed, polls have revealed a trenchant public - about 65 percent consistently have said no - when asked about using tax money to help launch a suburban soccer stadium.

"Sorry to hear you fell for the Checketts gang scam," writes Jack Melton. "You betrayed your pubic trust by giving public money to private business backed by future revenues (you hope!!). I'm very disappointed that you changed your stand. Good luck next election."

Several residents argue sports stadiums rarely provide return on their economic promise, while others question why RSL could donate $7.5 toward soccer fields in northwest Salt Lake City while reaching for a $55 million public purse at the same time.

"I hope there is a pony in the corner somewhere," writes Lee Brinton. "There sure is a lot of stink."

Many e-mails praise Corroon for his overall job performance, but say the stadium deal may hurt him at the polls.

Except with Betty and Bill Swiler.

"I applaud your efforts and success," they write. "Realizing some T's still require crossing and signatures remain to find their way to the dotted line, we all have had a weekend to relish the good news and participate as fans enjoying great soccer. Please pass our thank you on to all those who found consensus in the current plan! Love and be well."

djensen@sltrib.com