Salt Lake council to vote on agreement between SLC, Smith Entertainment Group

SALT LAKE CITY (KUTV) — The Salt Lake City Council will vote on a game-changing agreement between Salt Lake City and Smith Entertainment Group to revitalize downtown.

The group says it would reimagine the Delta Center and surrounding area and keep Jazz and NHL hockey downtown.

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An advocacy group, Americans for Prosperity Utah, hopes Salt Lake City Council members will vote it down.

“Personally, I’m excited about it. I think it’s awesome that the NHL will be here,” said Kevin Greene, AFP-Utah state director.

Smith Entertainment Group looks to net what it says would be a big win for downtown revitalization.

“But it is not the job of the government to do those things for a private business, to create that entertainment district to benefit one business,” Greene said.

Tuesday night’s meeting would look at how the city and Smith Entertainment Group would use proposed sales tax money for some of the development. Greene is opposed to the partnership — he says it’s bad policy for the government to provide subsidies to private businesses.

“I just don’t think it should happen. I think they should vote no tonight. They shouldn’t be raising taxes to fund private businesses,” Greene said.

He’s talking about the proposed 0.5% sales tax increase that would be needed to fund that development.

“If the sales tax isn’t increased, it’s not make or break for the team for what the company wants to do. But it is make or break for countless people living paycheck to paycheck every single week,” he said.

The tax hike will generate $1.2 billion over 30 years, but $900 million would be allocated for the project. The city would get up to 1% of the tax and ticket fees that would go back into the community.

KUTV reached out to Smith Entertainment Group to get their perspective, asking questions that included:

• What do you think the decision will be tonight?
• What would you say to community members who say taxpayers’ dollars shouldn’t be funding a new sports and entertainment district?
• What’s next in the process if the revitalization plan is approved?

We did not hear back.

“So, I think it’s probably a done deal today, but I just wish they would reconsider and think more about it,” Greene said.

A yes vote tonight would say how the city and the group would spend the money. It does not approve the sales tax increase to generate that money. There’s a separate process and vote for that.

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