Lawmakers defend Sept. 1 contract deadline on downtown Salt Lake Metropolis ‘revitalization’ plans

SALT LAKE CITY — The deal to lift Salt Lake Metropolis’s gross sales tax to assist home the brand new NHL workforce and revitalize downtown is transferring quick. Lawmakers are defending the timeline.

There’s a Sept. 1 deadline for Smith Leisure Group and Salt Lake Metropolis to finalize their “participation settlement” for what portion of a proposed 0.5% gross sales tax enhance would pay for stadium renovations versus different areas of renovation throughout the accepted downtown “revitalization zone.”

The deadline comes with a requirement from the invoice handed by the Legislature this 12 months, SB272, that units up the plan and conditions for the contract.

The invoice stipulates that the cash generated may very well be used to fund mission building or debt service of bonds used to pay for initiatives. Different permissible makes use of of the tax cash can be for public security or highway enhancements throughout the zone.

Rep. Jon Hawkins was one of many invoice’s sponsors and is defending the seemingly fast timeline to have all the main points sorted out.

“We had a sense that we might have a hockey workforce by subsequent season,” Hawkins mentioned, “proper, which ended up being the case, and so we knew that we needed to get that ball rolling as shortly as attainable. In order that’s why we put it into place for that deadline.”

Hawkins additionally mentioned Sept. 1 permits for a month earlier than the Utah State Tax Fee must be notified of modifications so it might probably start amassing on the primary day of 2025.

“We put Sept. 1st in place in order that we may take a month to check out all the things that they are proposing after which put into place and type of get it accepted by Oct. 1, which is 90 days earlier than the tip of the 12 months,” he mentioned.

Hawkins mentioned when the invoice was being crafted, the Legislature knew how briskly the workforce would want a spot to play.

“It wasn’t any sign to essentially anyone a few hockey workforce, per se. It was, ‘Let’s get transferring on revitalizing downtown,'” he mentioned.

Some residents at Tuesday’s Metropolis Council assembly expressed the sentiment that the plan was transferring too quick, with few official particulars launched to this point.

“I’m against this added gross sales tax for a mission that isn’t totally realized for the residents. I’ve not seen extra the broad image,” mentioned one resident.

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Hawkins additionally defended the truth that there have been no official renderings have been launched but by Smith Leisure Group.

“I feel they’re taking their time working with the town and the county to place that collectively. I am certain that they’ll be clear with the plan, however we have to give them a while to place it collectively,” he mentioned.

Hawkins mentioned he hopes folks will perceive that the gross sales tax that is being raised impacts everybody who eats and retailers in Salt Lake Metropolis as a lot because it does the residents who reside there, and elevating it’s as much as the Metropolis Council to resolve.

“I feel that is the largest misperception, in my view, on the market that the state did this, and the state’s simply pushing this down on the town,” he mentioned.

In the meantime, over 30 stakeholders got here out in help of revitalizing downtown plans Tuesday and praised the efforts of Smith Leisure Group to reimagine downtown.

“We’re at a singular second in time the place leaders from throughout arts and tradition, conferences and conventions, authorities, sports activities, leisure, tourism and hospitality, and enterprise are coming along with a shared dedication to reimagining downtown Salt Lake Metropolis and what it might probably imply for generations to come back. This mission is an unparalleled alternative to leverage Salt Lake Metropolis’s status as an iconic cultural gathering place — fostering unity for all Utahns and guests from the world over,” they mentioned in a joint assertion.

Smith Leisure Group has arrange an internet site to maintain residents knowledgeable.

There will likely be one other likelihood for the general public to weigh in on all of the downtown plans. The town council has voted to carry one other assembly for public remark; The precise date hasn’t been finalized.