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"Checketts" Your Integrity at the Door

Perhaps it's blatant shysterism, and then again expectations regarding a contribution of $7.5 million for a soccer complex may just be two sets of expectations that have passed like two ships in the night. As you may infer from the title of this post, I think it is the former.


I don't know Dave Checketts, and if I did, I might probably think he was a pretty good guy. But in my experience in city government, I've met a fair number of people who either did a great job pretending to be good guys, or who were good guys except when they got into a business deal where a lot of money was involved.

With all the posturing, bullying, and name calling that went into finally acquiring county funds for a soccer stadium--by 'virtue' of state dictation of how such county funds be used--I suspect Dave Checketts is involved in a deal that involves too much money for his integrity to handle.

I was surprised (...only for a minute) the other day, when I found out that Mr. Checketts thinks that the $7.5 million he had pledged to give for a youth soccer facility in Salt Lake City is now an investment rather than a donation. In the same breath, I salute Mayor Rocky Anderson for calling Mr. Checketts' bluff, and for finally recognizing that Mr. Checketts doesn't have even a thimble-full of integrity in his business dealings. But what took him so long?

Do you think Rocky has given his Real soccer jersey back yet?

Soccer in Utah is a great thing. I enjoy watching and playing soccer more than any other sport except for basketball, and perhaps football. This is why I am tired of the shenanigans being pulled by Mr. Checketts, which will ultimately redound to the detriment of soccer in Utah, and Utah in general.

The Salt Lake Tribune's editorial of a couple days ago says

Real is getting its public funds. It should cough up the donation. If that donation is not forthcoming, the flow of public funds to the Real stadium project should cease.

At least we all know now. I don't think we need any other indications of Mr. Checketts' "looking-out-for-number-one-itis" than what has already happened.

I think it "should cease" now.
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Comments

  1. Anonymous5/02/2007 01:16:00 AM

    Frank,

    Excellent use of the word "shysterism". Checketts is a snake that should never have recieved a dime of public funds.

    A soccer stadium is not a public good. It is not a necessary service. There is absolutely no good philosophical or economic reason for the soccer stadium.

    I hope that the stadium project fails and Checketts moves the team and his shysterism to another state and we never have to deal with him again.

    ReplyDelete

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