Ryan Beck wants a say in the development that will be built in his front yard.
Beck, a junior in business, lives across the street from the west parking lot of Rice-Eccles Stadium, the location for the proposed mixed-use development, the Universe Project.
“I live right here next to the stadium,” said Beck, who a few months ago began attending community forums hosted by Inland American, the real estate developer funding the project. “I have an interest in the real estate development.”
Inland and the U’s Facilities Management at the Office of Sustainability are sponsoring a new student focus group to get input on the Universe Project. The developer and U office have tried in past forums to find out what students think of the proposed project, according to Lisa Jensen, marketing officer for GSBS Architects, the architectural firm selected by Inland and the U to design the development. But student response has been limited to community forums thus far, so Beck offered to be the student contact between the U student body and the developer.
“They utilize anybody who shows interest in the project,” Beck said.
Heidi Goedhart, a junior in environmental studies and pre-architecture, said she applied for the focus group to get more information on the project. “I’m really interested in getting my opinion in there,” she said.
The group will meet April 22 and offer participants free soda and pizza paid for by Inland. Students who participate in all the sessions will receive a $50 American Express gift card. The deadline to apply for the group is April 13.
“They are looking for a healthy estimate from all-across campus,” Beck said.
Goedhart said the freebies were not her main priority.
“I just saw a photo of what they wanted to do and thought that was more of an incentive,” she said. “I’m an environmental studies and architecture major, so I’m interested in getting in on what’s going on there.”
Beck recruited the Associated Students of the University of Utah to help distribute information on the student focus group, said Student Body President Patrick Reimherr.
Beck said there is currently no cap for the number of students who can participate in the group.
“They haven’t had a lot of people sign up thus far,” he said. “They are feeling hard-pressed, because they want to get student opinions before they go away (at the end of the semester).”
Paul Tripp, a senior in exercise and sports science, said the $50 gift card caught his eye and was his main incentive behind applying for the focus group.
“Nothing is set in stone yet,” Beck said. “They are open to suggestions8212;they want something that’s going to work for the campus, for the community, for the football fans.”
