New proposal should be scrutinized

I read with interest your article on the county commissioners bonding for a conference/convention center to be paid for by revenues generated from user fees. This proposal needs to be scrutinized very closely. While I was serving as county commissioner, I spent a lot of time investigating these facilities, including those at Weber and Davis County, and concluded I could not justify the expenditure for such a facility at Deseret Peak. At that time, both counties had facilities that were operating similarly to Deseret Peak, and were being subsidized by county tax dollars, as is Deseret Peak. All of these facilities seemed to be underutilized, and I did not find a big enough market in the Tooele area for adding a convention center. At one time, there was consideration being given to a hotel and other businesses in connection with Miller Motorsports Park. If a hotel was built -- with private money not tax dollars -- wouldn't it usually have small convention and conference rooms? The county should look to private enterprise not government to fill this kind of need. Deseret Peak, even though subsidized by tax dollars, is a positive facility for the county. It is very rare when public recreational facilities are not subsidized or wholly paid for by tax dollars. What needs to be evaluated is whether taking on the burden of a convention center should be a high priority for the county at this time. Shouldn't government be finding ways to reduce costs and downsize?

Gene White

Tooele