MAJOR LEAGUE BASEBALL IN UTAH SCORES WITH LEGISLATIVE SUPPORT
The Utah State Legislature officially passed Senate Concurrent Resolution 3 , supporting Major League Baseball in Utah , and House Bill 562 , which creates a project at the Power District and funds an MLB ballpark .
The Senate resoluton , which received bipartisan support from the Utah House of Representatives and the Utah Senate , expresses government support of Big League Utah ’ s mission to bring MLB to Salt Lake City , specifically the Power District on the west side of the Capital City .
The resolution , with references to the iconic baseball movies “ Field of Dreams ” and “ The Sandlot ,” recognizes that Utah is one of the fastest-growing states and has the “ strongest economy ” in the country .
It highlights the state ’ s many tourist attractions , ability to host worldwide events such as the 2002 Olympics and Paralympic Winter Games and the success of the Utah Jazz and Real Salt Lake . It also touts Utah ’ s long tradition of minor league baseball dating back to the early 1900s .
The final line of the resolution quotes one of Utah ’ s favorite baseball movies : The Sandlot . “ BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the only appropriate response to the suggestion that another city or state is better prepared than Salt Lake City and the state of Utah for League expansion is : ‘ You ’ re killin ’ me , Smalls !’”
After the resolution passed , the Larry H . Miller Company , the Miller family , and the Big League Utah coalition gathered at the Capitol for a special signing ceremony with Governor Spencer J . Cox .
Near the end of the session , both the House and Senate passed House Bill 562 , which creates the new Utah Fairpark Area Investment Restoration District to oversee the redevelopment planned for the Power District . It also provides up to $ 900 million in state funds for a possible Major League Baseball ballpark if Utah is awarded expansion team by 2032 .
The actions on Utah ’ s Capitol Hill represent a significant step towards securing an MLB expansion team , diversifying and enriching the state ’ s entertainment , housing and recreational offerings , as well as a much-needed investment in Salt Lake City ’ s westside .
JAN / FEB / MAR • 2024 7