The opinions stated in this article are solely those of the author. 

With all the buzz about Salt Lake City and County attracting Major League Baseball and National Hockey League teams, there is also some grumbling among taxpayers that public money (either direct funding or tax rebates) will be necessary to close the deals.  Legislators are not as grumpy, understanding that some public money must be spent, the same as public money used to attract Hollywood filmmakers to shoot movies inside the state.

One can argue that expensive stadiums are not huge money-makers. That’s true in some cases, but in others the seed money for stadiums leads to a surge in tourism. The benefits to a Salt Lake City-based baseball team and a Salt Lake County-based hockey team would extend to Davis County residents too. More money in the state coffers can lead to tax cuts, improved highway spending, etc.

In the case of the filmmaking incentive program, for instance, the legislative sponsor points to $360 million in actual spending coming from a mere $12 million in public funding.  Even if the $360 million is inflated a bit, that’s a nice investment. As Salt Lake Tribune data columnist Andy Larsen noted recently, visitors to the 2023 NBA All-Star game dropped at least $119 million that stayed inside the state – and that didn’t include the additional spending by Utahns who worked the game or nearby restaurants. (The average out-of-state visitor spent $236 on food and beverages, $478 for lodging, $217 in retail shopping, and $112 in local transportation.)

Davis County has seen benefits on a smaller scale. The Davis Conference Center in Layton has become a hub for conferences, shows, and exhibits, and sales soar at nearby restaurants during events. The County Commission concept of luring thousands of youth athletes and their parents for comp-team games and tournaments near Farmington’s Station Park is also a no-brainer.

The need for stadiums and event space is central to attracting tourists. While Las Vegas has always been a huge draw, the $750 million in taxpayer money to help build Allegiant Stadium has paid off handsomely. Since 2021 when visitors were first allowed inside the $2 billion facility through this past September, events have drawn 3.6 million people, the majority traveling from the other 49 states – and this was prior to the 2023 Taylor Swift concerts!  The three biggest events were two NFL games – Pittsburgh vs. the Raiders and the 49ers vs. the Raiders – with about 55% out-of-state fans, and a Beyonce concert attracting 66% tourists flying in for the event.

The attendance at Allegiant Stadium for football, music, and other events is way ahead of projections. Granted these people spent their money in Las Vegas, not Reno or Winnemucca, but the money from tourism taxes on prime rib, martinis, and hotel rooms bolsters the state budget for projects in Reno and Winnemucca. 

Hey, even if the stadiums don’t erupt with a gusher of tourism dollars, it puts cities on the map. If Major League Baseball comes to Utah, we would be one of only 32 teams. Likewise, we would also have one of only 33 hockey teams.

Sportswriter Gordon Monson offers another benefit along with community pride: togetherness.  “Rarely at the Delta Center,” he wrote, “does anyone care whether the dude or dudette sitting next to them leans to the left or right, whether he or she is a churchgoer, whether he or she drinks beer or a milkshake…They are jointly cheering for whether the ball at the Jazz’s end is going through the hoop!”

New expensive stadiums. The public needs to help. Bring ‘em on!  

Bryan Gray, a longtime Davis County resident, is a former school teacher and has been a columnist for more than 26 years in newspapers along the Wasatch Front.