SANDY — Since the political brouhaha subsided months ago regarding Real Salt Lake's stadium, the project has seemingly slipped out of the consciousness of the majority of the state.
In fact, those associated with the team still frequently answer the question, "Is the stadium ever going to be built?"
Those same people obviously haven't driven though Sandy lately and glanced either east along I-15 or west along State Street. They might be surprised to see that construction is well under way.
Yes, the stadium is being built, and with four of the 16 months in the books, in many respects the Sandy facility already looks like a soccer-specific stadium.
The steal frame for the west-side press box is nearly complete, with the east-side steel framing beginning to rise. Thousands of cubic yards of concrete have been poured, and project manager Mike Steele likes to point out that in a few select areas, bolting down seats is the only remaining finishing touch.
And for the record, all 20,000 seats in the $110 million project will be tip-up seating.
"Dave Checketts wanted it first class all the way," said Steele.
The Layton-Turner construction team has a completion deadline of one year from today — Sept. 12, 2008. That date could be moved up as much as a month if Utah has a mild winter. Either way, Real Salt Lake will play the majority of its games at Rice-Eccles Stadium in 2008, with the final month or so likely to be played in the new, yet-to-be-named stadium.
In addition to chair-back seating and 30 luxury suites, the stadium also will include a permanent 60-by-80-foot stage on the south end and two large permanent canopies overhanging both sides of the stadium.
Soccer purists will love that the locker rooms are located underneath the west side of the stadium, meaning the teams will enter the pitch at midfield just like most stadiums in Europe.
The first row of seating is elevated less than two feet from field level, putting the fans as close to the action as possible.
Steele, who was the arena manager at the E Center its first three years before moving to New York City to help with Madison Square Garden, said he's continually amazed at the progress of the stadium.
"I'm not a construction professional by any stretch of the imagination. I'm an arena and stadium guy, but it's amazing what they're doing," said Steele. "Every day you come out something's different."
Steele is basically overseeing the project as Real Salt Lake's representative, and he'll stay on board afterward as the stadium general manager.
Parking at the stadium has been a debated topic between RSL and Sandy City, but Steele said the team has already arranged for 4,700 parking spots out of the mandated 5,300 necessary spots.
For more information, including a webcam, visit rslstadium.com.
Stadium glance
$110 million price tag
Sept. 12, 2008, completion date
20,000-seat capacity
30 luxury suites
220 construction workers, and 1,000 at its peak next year
E-mail: jedward@desnews.com