SANDY, Utah (KUTV) — A new training and practice facility for NHL hockey players at the South Town Mall in Sandy is receiving widespread approval, but a plan to raise the tax increase to connect a pedestrian bridge to the mall may be met with a cool response.

Salt Lake County is faced with the decision of whether to increase sales and use taxes by 0.2% to fund transportation and public safety projects.

According to a bill passed by lawmakers in early 2024, some of the money – possibly $50 million – could be used for a pedestrian bridge from a Frontrunner station over I-15 to the shopping center across the highway.

“Bringing this all together is a wonderful thing,” said Susan Wood, spokeswoman for Sandy City.

Wood said the pedestrian bridge had been in the city’s plans for years, long before the Utah Hockey Club and Jazz owner Ryan Smith announced that Sandy would get the hockey training center.

“Was there a commitment from Sandy to SEG (Smith’s company) to make sure that bridge was built to bring hockey to shore?” 2News asked.

“No,” said Wood. “That didn’t happen.”

2News emailed a Smith Entertainment Group representative on Friday with questions about the bridge, but there was no response.

MORE from KUTV:

The super-rich owner wouldn’t mind a pedestrian bridge in Sandy – nor would he mind planned $1 billion in taxpayer-funded improvements in downtown Salt Lake near the Delta Center, home of the Jazz and now the hockey club.

Will Salt Lake County Mayor Jenny Wilson propose a tax increase to fund transportation and public safety projects – including the pedestrian bridge?

2News asked a spokeswoman for the mayor, who said Wilson was out of town.

The spokeswoman said she might have an answer by the end of August.

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