Utah NHL arena plans look to be on track with major stakeholders all satisfied

Negotiations around where the new Utah NHL franchise will play have so far resulted in a “course of action that satisfies the biggest stakeholders’ wishes: a major renovation to the Delta Center, and a multiblock sports and entertainment district in Salt Lake City’s downtown,” according to Larsen, Apgar, Reynolds & Gehrke of the SALT LAKE TRIBUNE. But behind the scenes, there was “significant political wrangling to get to this point,” and "disagreements on the plan’s specifics remain.” The plan “hinges on a key tax vote in July” from the Salt Lake City Council, which is “expected to pass it.” Public details are “still sparse,” with “many of the most important aspects of the project still to be decided.” The city’s first in-public interaction with the plan comes May 7, when Smith Entertainment Group representative Mike Maughan will “present details to the council.” Then, on May 21, a "public hearing on the agreement is scheduled to take place." The council is “tentatively scheduled to vote on the district agreement and tax increase July 2." All indications point to the tax increase and agreement "having support from the City Council early on.” However, if the tax increase or project plan “didn’t pass city muster,” Utah NHL franchise owner Ryan Smith has “referenced that ‘Plan A, B, and C’ all exist." Multiple officials said that one point “in favor of this plan over creating a new arena” was that a “larger percentage of the sales tax increase money could be spent on elements of the entertainment district that don’t include the stadium itself” (SALT LAKE TRIBUNE, 4/29).