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Mormon Church Opens 1.5+ Billion $ Shopping/Living Center in Salt Lake City

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0

06nbarnhill

Member
Today in Salt Lake City the Mormon Church opened the City Creek center in Salt Lake City, Utah at a cost of 1.5 Billion dollars (for the retail portion) as part of an overall project worth 5 billion. It includes a mall, dining, massive underground parking complex, several high rize apartment building, etc, etc, etc. This is all right next to Temple Square over 3 very large city blocks.

Just was wondering what people think about a church spending such a massive amount of money on a project that includes a lot of high end stores, super pricey high rise apartments (good luck living in any of the towers for less than a couple million), etc?

I am super conflicted as a Salt Lake City resident because on the one hand it is a great gift to the city. On the other hand isn't there anything better for the church to spend 1.5 billion on? Also worried because I know they intend to be fairly strict with morality enforcement on the premises and it will not be open on Sunday which is super obnoxious since the center pretty much IS downtown now. I mean I am fine with development but I am not sure it should be the church doing it....and I wish that the city hadn't let them attach so many strings too it. What do you think?

Pics for reference though they can't capture the scale of it:

Pic of the mall and one of the apartment buildings in the background.
24976214.jpg


Another High rise Apartment uring construction phase.

800px-City_creek_center_parking_construction.jpg


24976237.jpg


24976216.jpg


24976215.jpg
 
C

CFMOORE!

Member
i wonder what it is like to shop in a mall owned by a church. a mormon one, no less. will they only allow rich mormons entry into the apartment dwelling?
 
B

BakedPigeon

Banned
I'm checking it out this weekend :)

The fact that the church built it does not bother me at all. I'm not a member nor do I really care how they spend their money.
 
G

Guevara

Member
This picture:
800px-City_creek_center_parking_construction.jpg
Click to expand...
Kind of reminds me of this picture
the complex around Mecca
640px-Abraj_albait_towers_makkah_ksa.JPG


Huge religious-affiliated complexes meant to look like an organic series of buildings despite being constructed concurrently.
 
Trojita

Trojita

Rapid Response Threadmaker
Wait, there is no way in fuck that these businesses operate Tax Free right?

Right?
 
0

06nbarnhill

Member
BakedPigeon said:
I'm checking it out this weekend :)

The fact that the church built it does not bother me at all. I'm not a member nor do I really care how they spend their money.
Click to expand...

Ya I walked around the outside on Tue when I was at a Jazz game. It looks very nice. Will probably do some shopping there in coming weeks. Super conflicted though.

Poor Gateway mall...
 
S

s7evn

Member
06nbarnhill said:
Ya I walked around the outside on Tue when I was at a Jazz game. It looks very nice. Will probably do some shopping there in coming weeks. Super conflicted though.

Poor Gateway mall...
Click to expand...

Are the stores similar? The gateway is nice, but only has a limited selection of shops. This is definitely a nice place considering the only store I've gone to is the new Harmons.
 
0

06nbarnhill

Member
s7evn said:
Are the stores similar? The gateway is nice, but only has a limited selection of shops. This is definitely a nice place considering the only store I've gone to is the new Harmons.
Click to expand...

lol not really anymore. A bunch of stores are moving from gateway to City Creek.

Gateway will still be decent....if barely. Will probably still shop there on Sundays.
 
Trojita

Trojita

Rapid Response Threadmaker
I just looked it up. Yes they have to pay taxes unless they can exploit a loop hole.

For most organizations, an activity is an unrelated business (and subject to unrelated business income tax) if it meets three requirements:

1.
It is a trade or business,
2.
It is regularly carried on, and
3.
It is not substantially related to furthering the exempt purpose of the organization.

There are, however, a number of modifications, exclusions, and exceptions to the general definition of unrelated business income.
Click to expand...
 
0

06nbarnhill

Member
The Churches business arm of course pays taxes. Its a fairly separate entity.

It makes so much money though. I saw their financials a year or so ago and its incredible.
 
S

SquiddyCracker

Banned
I'm waiting for the first scandal involving gay/non-mormons/sinners being expelled from the shopping center in accordance with their "moral rules".
 
M

moonlight801

Neo Member
06nbarnhill said:
Just was wondering what people think about a church spending such a massive amount of money on a project that includes a lot of high end stores, super pricey high rise apartments (good luck living in any of the towers for less than a couple million), etc?

I am super conflicted as a Salt Lake City resident because on the one hand it is a great gift to the city. On the other hand isn't there anything better for the church to spend 1.5 billion on? Also worried because I know they intend to be fairly strict with morality enforcement on the premises and it will not be open on Sunday which is super obnoxious since the center pretty much IS downtown now. I mean I am fine with development but I am not sure it should be the church doing it....and I wish that the city hadn't let them attach so many strings too it. What do you think?
Click to expand...

The Church is simply trying to make SLC a more attractive city both for tourism and for employment.
Also, would you be fine if the city spent $1.5 billion on the project? I didn't think so. The Church is a private entity with a lot of cash flow. They are a large humanitarian organization both domestically and internationally. This project is to improve SLC. That's it.
I love how people seem to have an agenda against the LDS church, as if we are some evil, horrible group of people. Everyone has their beliefs and standards, let us have ours.
 
C

CorvoSol

Member
Kesagiri said:
Great, now they get to make more money to fight gay rights.

*sigh*
Click to expand...

Yes, because fighting gay rights is the singular and primary expenditure on the Church's budget. Nevermind all those humanitarian efforts.

I do wonder how the businesses operate in the mall. I didn't know the Church owned that many businesses. Then again, it's Salt Lake so whatever.
 
H

Htown

STOP SHITTING ON MY MOTHER'S HEADSTONE
Pretty sure they have to pay taxes on those sales, just like Christian book stores inside and outside of churches.
 
R

ronito

Member
For profit arm, therefore taxable.

Also weren't there rumors it was more like $5 billion.
Also opening the week before conference. Nice.

edit: oh it's a joint venture. It was more like $5 billion but the church's for profit arm paid 1.5 billion into it.
 
C

CorvoSol

Member
moonlight801 said:
Like you know what you're talking about...

Tell me, how will it drive people away from the Church?
Click to expand...

Because Malls are shady, shady things, and will clearly destroy the Church Members' confidence in uh, something! Just like all those Colleges the Church has!

Don't you see? Expansion will destroy us all!
 
JetBlackPanda

JetBlackPanda

Member
Most people don't give two shits who built the mall.. its nice for downtown. With so many other cities in shambles how can anyone complain about this? The business arm of the church pays taxes just like any other for profit business.
 
K

Kesagiri

Member
CorvoSol said:
Yes, because fighting gay rights is the singular and primary expenditure on the Church's budget. Nevermind all those humanitarian efforts.
Click to expand...

I never said it was their primary or singular expenditure. The fact remains that they do fund such efforts.
 
H

Hartt951

Member
Looks nice. I'm curious what kind of state Utah would be without the mormon church. It seems like the church develops everything.

There is no reason the church should be able to pour unlimited funds into the political process though. Screw CUvFEC
 
S

s7evn

Member
It's unfortunate there's no sports bars or anything. Oh well. Looks like it's basically all high end retail stuff or shops you'd normally find in a mall.
 
R

ronito

Member
s7evn said:
It's unfortunate there's no sports bars or anything. Oh well. Looks like it's basically all high end retail stuff or shops you'd normally find in a mall.
Click to expand...

There isn't? I remember the church's for profit arm asking SLC for more liquor licenses so they could get some restaurants and bars in the mall.
 
S

s7evn

Member
ronito said:
There isn't? I remember the church's for profit arm asking SLC for more liquor licenses so they could get some restaurants and bars in the mall.
Click to expand...

From their website it doesn't look like there's any bars. There's probably some upscale restaurants that will serve alcohol, but no true pubs or anything. Downtown has alternatives though, so no big deal.
 
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