This is your daily news rundown for Monday, Nov. 11. In this edition:
- SLC County leaders are holding funds they say will be used to pay for a possible overhaul of the Salt Palace Convention Center.
- A new beef processing facility has opened in Nephi.
- A resort community proposal has been denied by the Utah Lieutenant Governor's Office due to compliance issues.
SLC leaders hold funds for possible Salt Palace Convention Center funding
Salt Lake County leaders are holding a little over $10 million from a transportation fund for possible allocation to help pay for an overhaul of the Salt Palace Convention Center.
Salt Lake County Mayor Jenny Wilson says the funds could be used if the county allocates to the downtown revitalization project following a partnership agreement between Salt Lake City and Smith Entertainment Group.
The county plans to meet with state lawmakers over the next few months to receive funding help for the proposal, while private funding is also anticipated.
Salt Lake County Councilman Dave Alvord is questioning the legality of the measure. He lauded the mayor for what he called a "good faith effort" to be creative in saving taxpayers, but questioned if it was a good use of money directed to transportation projects.
Alvord told KSL-TV on Friday that he'd like to see that money go toward other uses, such as cleaning up litter and debris building up on freeways and highways.
New beef processing plant opens in Nephi
A new beef processing plant has opened in Utah. The Bar-W Beef facility in Nephi is harvesting between 40-50 cows daily, according to Juab County rancher Korey Wright.
He and other ranchers in the area opened the facility when beef couldn’t be sold during COVID because of limited access to processing plants. The Nephi site includes wastewater treatment technology, a feed lot, processing plant, and a USDA on-site inspector.
Wright says beef processed there can supply food for nearly 20,000 families a month, but can do even more if another pandemic or emergency hits.
Wright and his team are also planning a steakhouse and burger shop to open this coming summer on the south end of Nephi, which will provide jobs to locals and food to people passing through the area.
Developers request rejected by Utah Lt. Gov.'s Office due to compliance issues
Developers hoping to create an incorporated resort community of homes, condominiums, and a hotel near Snowbasin S'ki Resort and Mountain Green do not qualify for a feasibility study according to Utah officials.
KSL news reports that the Utah Lt. Gov.'s Office rejected the request from Ogden-based Spring Mountain Ranch and SISO saying it didn't comply with guidelines set out in state law governing the incorporation process. Among other things, the 2,317-acre expanse encompassing the proposed city surrounds an "island of territory" not included in the municipality, and the land is owned by more than three entities, running afoul of requirements spelled out by the state.
The team pursuing the Nine Springs Mountain Resort have also been in talks with Morgan County officials since the zone is unincorporated, at least for now.
The Wasatch Back area of Weber and Morgan counties is getting increased attention from developers. Officials from the Snowbasin, Powder Mountain, and Nordic Valley ski resorts in Weber County have broached the possibility of new development initiatives. A massive, high-end development is already underway south of the proposed Nine Springs site in Morgan County, the 12,000 acre Wasatch Peaks development.
