An LDS temple in American Fork will bring many economic and physical changes to the city.
"It's just exciting to speculate what will happen in the next few years," said Mayor B. Kay Hutchings.And all kinds of speculation are running rampant in the city.
The First Presidency of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints announced plans for a temple in American Fork Sunday but has not yet identified the building site. LDS Church spokesman Don LeFevre said only the First Presidency can release the location. He said he's awaiting word.
Hutchings welcomes the temple wherever it's built. "We look forward to it. It's a neat thing. It's an honor for the community. It will put our name on the map, " he said.
Not only are people wondering where the temple will be built, but developers are looking to buy land near a possible site. Several called city offices this week wanting to know if it knew the location.
"I think there are some speculators out there looking to buy a piece of property. It's common knowledge, I suppose, that property around a temple site has a tendency to increase in value," Hutchings said.
Property values went up in South Jordan when the Jordan River Temple was built in 1979. And Rita Hales, president of the Utah County Association of Realtors, said values were on the rise in American Fork even before Sunday's announcement.
"I really do think part of the increase we're seeing out there is due to the fact that the temple is going to be there," she said.
Hales said it's too soon to put a dollar figure on the increase.
Hutchings said maybe "capitalize" isn't the right word, but merchants, restaurateurs, homeowners and real estate developers are sure to derive some economic residual during and after construction.
"Hopefully, one of these days we'll have a hotel in the city," he said.
Located at the base of Mount Timpanogos, American Fork could, with a hotel, draw people who would make a weekend of attending the temple and visiting Timpanogos Cave. American Fork Canyon also provides various recreational opportunities such as camping, picnicking and fishing.
"The best money you can get is money from outside your community," Hutchings said.
People traveling to American Fork will need easy access to the temple and other points of interest.
The rapid construction of new homes has increased traffic in north Utah County. The existing street network will not meet expected transportation needs, according to the Mountainland Association of Governments. North-south motorists currently must take "a highly circuitous and slow route" to get from city to city.
Mountainland, which is charged with transportation planning in the county, is currently requesting proposals to study north-south and east-west corridors and an I-15 interchange in the Pleasant Grove-Lindon area.
Officials in north county cities have discussed these road projects, particularly the interchange, for years. Another five or 10 years could pass before any of them are completed.
But Hutchings said the coming of the temple may spur transportation officials to move a little faster.