I recently read an article about how the proposed truck-to-train cargo transloading facility and a semi-truck parking lot in Salt Lake County have pretty much folded.
The Utah Inland Port Authority, a kind of city/state organization established by our state Legislature several years ago, had approved the expenditure of $120,000 a month for 40 years for the lease of the two properties (41.6 acres) that were going to be used for the facility.
Apparently there was no provision in the lease for canceling or reducing the lease costs if the facility failed, so the state is still required to pay the owners of that land the agreed $120,000 a month for 40 years. The owners have indicated they are trying to find new businesses to use the land.
In the meantime someone must be enjoying the $120,000 a month for providing an undeveloped 41.6 acres of land. I question the wisdom and honesty of the Utah Inland Port Authority for approving such a long-term lease, at public expense.
Probably just another of those “follow the money” things, like what I guess has affected UDOT’s decision about a gondola in Little Cottonwood Canyon.
Fred Ash, Sandy
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