Our Mission
The people of Fair Park, Rose Park, Poplar Grove, and Glendale reject the development of the Major League Stadium (MLB) proposed by the Larry H. Miller Company for Utah’s Major League ballpark.
1
Roots Over Stadiums and Erasure (ROSE) is a collective of long-time residents and small local business owners who live and work on the West Side of Salt Lake City. We formed in response to the Major League Baseball Stadium (MLB) proposed by the Larry H. Miller Company and the ongoing gentrification and displacement issues related to this project.
We understand that the MLB Stadium will: directly and indirectly displace people, shift the community’s identity, and heighten disparities on the West Side. The Larry H. Miller Company and supposed “leaders,” such as: Utah State Representatives; Salt Lake City Council; Mayor Erin Mendenhall; and members of Big League Utah, see our community as a profit-making opportunity.
2
This “opportunity” for economic growth does not represent the interests and needs of our community members.
Based on the history of stadiums, it’s clear that the development of the MLB stadium will: raise the cost of rent and mortgage; construct unaffordable and luxury developments; erase Black and Brown community spaces and resources; increase environmental and health issues; increase police surveillance of the community; and disregard the experiences of our community in the rezoning process.
The city’s useless channels of “community engagement” and “comment periods” are simply performative.
3
The city does not have a proactive plan to ensure they meet the needs of local long term residents and local small businesses that the MLB stadium will negatively impact.
The proposed stadium will lead to future developments that fail to support the working class and reinforce systemic barriers that continue to place our communities at a disadvantage.
The people of Fair Park, Rose Park, Poplar Grove, and Glendale will actively be fighting against the proposed MLB stadium.
Timeline of MLB Proposal/Project
Gail Miller and the Larry H. Miller Company launched the "Big League Utah" initiative, aiming to secure an MLB expansion team for Salt Lake City. They identified a 100-acre site on the city's west side, known as the Power District, as the proposed stadium location.
April 2023
The Larry H. Miller Company unveiled plans to invest $3.5 billion in developing the Power District, featuring a mixed-use area centered around the proposed MLB stadium.
February 2024
The Utah State Legislature passed HB 562, allocating $900 million in state funding for the MLB stadium, contingent upon Salt Lake City securing an MLB team by June 30, 2032.
March 2024
The redevelopment plans for Salt Lake City's Power District, which include the potential MLB stadium, raise concerns about the displacement of affordable housing and gentrification in the Fairpark neighborhood.
September 2024
Discussions continue regarding a major zoning overhaul near the Fairpark by the Jordan River, with some expressing concerns about potential gentrification in the community and area.
November 2024
The Salt Lake City Council unanimously approves a rezoning plan for nearly 100 acres on the west side, facilitating the development of the proposed Power District and potentially attracting an MLB team.