Gov. Cox says Salt Lake City doesn't need help selling its proposed expansion site to Major League Baseball
Batters Up
By Benjamin Wood @BjaminWood
Salt Lake City may not be the biggest city in the American West, Utah Gov. Spencer Cox said Thursday, but its growing economy, high quality of life and proven track record hosting professional sports make it a clear contender for a Major League Baseball expansion team.
It also has a "shovel-ready" location for a new stadium, Cox noted, with a ready-made transit and freeway access next to what is set to become a modern, mixed-use development cluster on the current Rocky Mountain Power campus in Poplar Grove.
"What we know is Salt Lake City—and Utah—is already attractive," Cox said. "Yes, there are some bigger cities. But bigger cities don't always translate into support."
He also emphasized another ace-in-the-hole potentially working in the city's favor: the Miller organization and the pro-ball-club team of private investors and public partners it has assembled to lobby the MLB and work toward a future team's success.
"We have Gail Miller, and I wouldn’t undersell that. That’s probably the most important advantage we have," Cox said. "[The Miller group] has proven that they know how to own a national franchise—a sports franchise like the Jazz, and with The Bees."
Cox's comments came during his monthly televised press conference at PBS Utah, and one day after it was announced that the Oakland A's (the MLB team at the top of the minor-league Bees' talent ladder) would be relocating to Las Vegas, Nevada. Utah was thought to be in the running for a maximum of two MLB team placements out of three contender cities in the West—Las Vegas, Portland and Salt Lake City. With Vegas claiming the A's, Cox said, it likely sets up a one-on-one showdown with Oregon for a single expansion team west of the Continental Divide.
"I think you’ll see one team in The East and one team in The West," he said. "We’ve shown the support that we have for our franchises here, including the Jazz and Real [Salt Lake] soccer."
Cox was among the swarm of dignitaries who attended last week's groundbreaking of "The Power District," which is planned to include a mix of retail and residential construction near the Jordan River on North Temple. Renderings describe a modern, walkable community with trail access along the Jordan River Parkway and oriented toward an existing Green Line TRAX stop (Power Station) at Cornell Street (approximately 1500 West). The site is also bordered to the south and west by Interstates 80 and 215, as well as the Redwood Road surface highway.
The Power District is planned in phases, currently with space set aside for a marquee attraction, like a new baseball stadium. If the state's bid were to succeed, any MLB team would arrive after the Bees departure to the Daybreak suburb in South Jordan, near the current terminus of the TRAX Red Line.
In a prepared statement, Salt Lake Chamber president Derek Miller similarly praised the city's suitability for a professional sports franchise, citing its history of hosting events like the 2002 Olympic Winter Games and this year's NBA All-Star Game.
“The up-and-coming Power District is an optimal choice for the location of the new stadium for its size and focus on mixed-use development, including a new headquarters for Rocky Mountain Power, commercial/office space and multi-family housing, as well as proximity to downtown Salt Lake City and public transportation," Miller said. "Utah is a natural fit for the MLB universe, and we look forward to the next steps of this exciting project.”
Click here to watch the governor's full April press conference.
About The Author
Benjamin Wood
Lifelong Utahn Benjamin Wood has worn the mantle of City Weekly's news editor since 2021. He studied journalism at Utah State University and previously wrote for The Salt Lake Tribune, the Deseret News and Entertainment Weekly
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