"It was interesting to us that [Sandy] made some very public commitments about those funds, and we didn't have any detail about them," Jordan Superintendent Barry Newbold said.
Money the district would contribute is considered key for Sandy's $15 million bond pledged to RSL for land and infrastructure improvements for the stadium.
Because the stadium is proceeding as a community development project area, Sandy can use a share of its property tax dollars generated by the development to finance the effort. If the city wants more tax money, it must persuade other taxing entities - such as the Jordan District - to voluntarily give up their portions. In other words, the Jordan Board of Education must agree to forfeit what could be millions of dollars.
That cash will be coupled with $20 million committed from the county for parking. The deal, approved by the County Council Aug. 15, also calls for issuing a $10 million bond in 2011 and another $10 million bond in 2015.
Still, the stadium agreement nearly collapsed. The county twice rejected interest-heavy funding proposals before cobbling a deal together just hours before RSL's self-imposed deadline.
The team hopes to launch construction on the 20,000-seat stadium in October with completion slated for 2008.
Though Sandy economic development director Randy Sant declined to provide specific numbers, he said Jordan may have several financing options. The district wasn't brought into the conversation earlier because the project was still unresolved, he said.
"We wanted to make sure we had a deal and Real was going to build a stadium before we started going through our public process," he said.
Whatever the stadium financing proposal will be, the goal is to try to have as little impact as possible on the school district, Sant said. The suburb has made it clear to RSL that if the school district opts out, the team's public purse also will shrink.
"Real realizes that risk, but Real thinks it can give the schools a significant return on their investment," Sant said.
Jordan district makes up the largest chunk of the taxing district, at 56 percent. Salt Lake County's share is just less than 20 percent, while Sandy makes up 11 percent. The balance is split between small groups, including a water district, cemetery and mosquito abatement district.
Sant said the city will huddle with school district officials next month, then make a formal presentation to the school board in November.
One proposal calls for corralling 100 percent of the school money the first three years, then 50 percent the final two.
An RSL spokesman said the team will follow the lead of Sandy and Mayor Tom Dolan in the redevelopment funding negotiation.
Salt Lake County Mayor Peter Corroon confirms the finance model he has seen calls for a five-year commitment from the Jordan district.
In recent years, the Jordan board has opposed siphoning away public education dollars for development. In February 2005, it passed a resolution against using property tax revenue intended for schools to fund city and county tax financing systems that redirect public dollars away from the classroom.
"Allowing development agencies to divert school funds only exacerbates Utah's education financial shortfall by redirecting needed 'school revenues' to 'economic development,' " part of the resolution states.
While the clamor for an RSL stadium continues among some Wasatch Front residents, not everyone agrees on how it should be funded. Tax activist Robyn Bagley, a Salt Lake County resident, adamantly opposes using school dollars for the soccer stadium.
Taxpayers in the Jordan district need to know what's going on and tell their board members how they feel, Bagley said. "This should really be brought to the public's attention that [RSL owner Dave] Checketts is willing to take education funding to build his stadium."
jlyon@sltrib.com, djensen@sltrib.com
