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9 General Description:
10 This resolution recognizes Utah as an amazing state for sports, and supports efforts to
11 bring a Major League Baseball franchise to Utah.
12 Highlighted Provisions:
13 This resolution:
14 ▸ recognizes that Utah is one of the fastest growing states and has the strongest
15 economy in the country;
16 ▸ recognizes the many tourist attractions and amenities Utah has to offer;
17 ▸ recognizes the worldwide reputation Utah has for hosting historically successful
18 events such as the 2002 Olympic and Paralympic Winter Games;
19 ▸ recognizes that Utah is the ideal geographic destination for Major League Baseball
20 expansion;
21 ▸ recognizes the Power District in the Fairpark neighborhood is the preferred location
22 for a Major League ballpark;
23 ▸ recognizes the deep and successful history of major sports teams and events in Utah,
24 and the strong community support for those teams and events;
25 ▸ recognizes the long tradition of Minor League Baseball flourishing in Utah;
26 ▸ notes many of the economic, cultural, and other benefits and opportunities that a
27 Major League franchise in Utah would provide; and
28 ▸ expresses the strong support from the Legislature and the Governor to bring Major
29 League Baseball to the great state of Utah.
30 Special Clauses:
31 None
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33 Be it resolved by the Legislature of the state of Utah, the Governor concurring therein:
34 WHEREAS, "The one constant through all the years...has been baseball. America has
35 rolled by like an army of steamrollers. It's been erased like a blackboard, rebuilt, and erased
36 again. But baseball has marked the time. This field, this game -- it's a part of our past... It
37 reminds us of all that once was good, and it could be again. Oh, people will come... People will
38 most definitely come."
39 WHEREAS, heaven isn't in Iowa, but in Utah;
40 WHEREAS, Utah's economy is one of the strongest, fastest- growing, and most durable
41 economies in the country, as evidenced by several measures, awards, and statistics;
42 WHEREAS, Utah was the nation's fastest-growing state for the 2010-2020 decade;
43 WHEREAS, Utah is the most family-friendly state, and baseball is the most
44 family-friendly sport;
45 WHEREAS, Utah has the highest median income of potential Major League Baseball
46 expansion markets and is projected to have the eighth highest median household income
47 among Major League Baseball markets;
48 WHEREAS, Utah is a Top-30 media market, and is consistently in the top three for
49 NBA local television ratings;
50 WHEREAS, Utah consistently outperforms similar markets in both ticketing and
51 sponsorship revenue;
52 WHEREAS, the quality of life in Utah is second to none, boasting the "Greatest Snow
53 on Earth" with 11 world-class ski resorts, five national parks, and year-round access to outdoor
54 recreation;
55 WHEREAS, as the "Crossroads of the West," Utah is the ideal geographic location for
56 a Major League Baseball expansion location, as other teams in both the National League and
57 American League fly through and over Utah en route to other Major League cities throughout
58 the western United States;
59 WHEREAS, the Power District of the Fairpark neighborhood on the west side of Salt
60 Lake City is a shovel-ready site for a Major League ballpark, which can be a catalyst for this
61 vibrant community and its residents to reach their highest potential;
62 WHEREAS, the opportunity of developing a Major League ballpark in partnership with
63 the Utah State Fairpark is a generational effort to invest in the long-term vitality and legacy of a
64 cherished state icon;
65 WHEREAS, the legacy of sport and the state of sporting success in Utah is rich,
66 including the Utah Jazz of the NBA, Real Salt Lake of Major League Soccer, the Salt Lake
67 2002 Olympic and Paralympic Winter Games, IRONMAN 70.3 North American
68 Championship, Huntsman World Senior Games, members schools in major collegiate athletic
69 conferences, including the Big XII, PAC 12, Mountain West Conference, and Western Athletic
70 Conference, as well as strong sports organization infrastructure through the Utah Olympic
71 Legacy Foundation, and the Utah Sports Commission;
72 WHEREAS, Utah was the center of the sports world when Salt Lake City was the host
73 of the 2002 Winter Olympics, and Utah is the presumptive host of the 2034 Winter Olympics;
74 WHEREAS, the history of professional baseball in Utah dates back to the early 1900s,
75 with the team using several names, including the Elders, Bees, Giants, Angels, Occidentals,
76 Gulls, Trappers, Buzz, and Stingers;
77 WHEREAS, when the Portland Beavers moved to Utah in 1994 and became the Salt
78 Lake Buzz, the team set the Triple-A single season attendance record;
79 WHEREAS, the Junior Bees youth baseball program has provided recreational baseball
80 opportunities throughout the state for nearly 20 years, with around 20,000 participants each
81 year, which is the largest Minor League Baseball Youth Program in the country;
82 WHEREAS, the Salt Lake Bees Kids Club provides baseball clinics inside the Bee's
83 stadium, serving over 3,000 kids;
84 WHEREAS, the Utah Jazz has the longest-running youth junior NBA program, the
85 Junior Jazz, with approximately 90,000 participants each year;
86 WHEREAS, Utah has proven to be incredibly supportive of local sports teams, giving
87 strong home-court and home-field advantage to the Utah Jazz, Real Salt Lake, and other
88 professional and college sports teams;
89 WHEREAS, the Miller family's commitment as a partner to bringing Major League
90 Baseball to Utah is unmatched, and their experience in major sport franchise ownership and
91 management is invaluable;
92 WHEREAS, the coalition of support to ensure the success of Major League Baseball in
93 Utah is second-to-none, and includes many pillars of the Utah community, local business
94 giants, numerous elected officials, and many notable names tied to Utah in sports and
95 entertainment;
96 WHEREAS, coalition partners have proposed a remarkable site for a Major League
97 ballpark in Salt Lake City's Power District, near the Utah State Fair Park;
98 WHEREAS, a Major League ball park in the Power District and near the Utah State
99 Fair Park represents a once-in-a-generation opportunity to enhance the Utah State Fair Park,
100 activate it year-round as part of a robust events and economic district, and continue to revitalize
101 the Power District in Salt Lake City;
102 WHEREAS, a Major League club in Utah would be an economic and cultural boon to
103 Salt Lake City and the entire state of Utah; and
104 WHEREAS, seeing this plan through to fruition will increase revenue and state funds
105 available to support public education and other endeavors in our great state:
106 NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED that the Legislature of the state of Utah, with
107 the Governor concurring therein, supports the efforts of Big League Utah in the pursuit of
108 bringing Major League Baseball to the great state of Utah.
109 BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the only appropriate response to the suggestion that
110 another city or state is better prepared than Salt Lake City and the state of Utah for Major
111 League expansion is: "You're killin' me, Smalls!"