In July 2004, SCP Worldwide, with chairman Dave Checketts, bought a Major League Soccer franchise and established a team in Utah.
Real Salt Lake, which began play in April 2005, was in the league's smallest market some distance behind Columbus, but Checketts stated that he wanted to build the in place where he grew up.
While Real Salt Lake originally played matches in Rice-Eccles Stadium, efforts began almost immediately to build a soccer specific stadium for the team. On Aug. 15, 2006, the Salt Lake County Council approved a letter of intent to spend $40 million of hotel taxes to help build a soccer-specific stadium for the team in Sandy, Utah.