Referendum claims new Vineyard city center is unaffordable
Apr 14, 2025, 7:49 PM
FILE: Utah Lake is pictured in Vineyard on Thursday, Dec. 22, 2022. Residents of Vineyard are gathering signatures for a referendum against a proposed $35 million outlay for a city center. (Ben B. Braun, Deseret News)
(Ben B. Braun, Deseret News)
SALT LAKE CITY — A small city in Utah County, is growing. But it may not be growing fast enough according to citizens who have filed a referendum against a new Vineyard city center.
Most Vineyard City Council members approve of the new city center and the plan to fund it. Last week, KSL.com reported the council voted 4-1 to authorize a plan that sells sales tax revenue bonds to come up with what they estimate is the $35 million cost.
In the referendum, Vineyard citizens led by Kim Cornelius claim the bond will cost closer to $50 million.
“It’s going to cost us closer to $50 million with interest and all the other fees that are associated with it,” Cornelius told KSL NewsRadio on Monday. “We are not in a position to do that. How are we going to pay for it?”
In a statement to KSL, Vineyard city officials said they disagree with the referendum’s claims and believe the city center is needed to support Vineyard’s rapid growth.
The growth is undeniable. According to the 2020 Census, the town along the northeast shoreline of Utah Lake increased in population to more than 12,500 people. Ten years prior, the 2010 census recorded less than 200 people living in Vineyard.
KSL.com reported that “sales and franchise tax revenue bonds would not exceed $35 million, and the interest rates would not exceed 6%.”
Not enough money, opponents of Vineyard city center say
Cornelius’ concern is the funding. He said that over the past three years, the amount of new construction he’s seen in Utah City, an urban development project that is the proposed site for the center, isn’t measuring up.
“They’re building little cracker box low-income housing that’s not going to generate a whole lot of income (in Utah City). … We’ve been hearing for three years that we’re going to have all of these taxable-type businesses come into the community. Haven’t seen anything yet,” he said.
On April 8, ground was broken in Vineyard for the Huntsman Cancer Institute Comprehensive Cancer Center. It is expected to open in late 2028.
More about funding for the city center in Vineyard may be known after a public hearing scheduled for May 14.
