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One day after the Deseret News declared that Salt Lake City Proposition No. 5 "is doomed to fail," voters in Utah's capital city carried Proposition No. 5 to a historic victory. In this monumental triumph for Utah's soccer community, Salt Lake City voters approved Proposition No. 5 and authorized the issuance of $15.3 million in bonds towards the construction of a new sports complex in Salt Lake City. The preliminary design for this facility includes 30 soccer fields, eight baseball diamonds, two rugby fields, jogging paths, playgrounds, and picnic areas.

Proposition No. 5 prevailed by fewer than a thousand votes, with 20,124 votes in favor and 19,204 opposed. Proposition No. 5 garnered 51.17% of the vote, completing a miraculous comeback. A KSL-TV/Deseret News poll had shown Proposition No. 5 to be trailing by 12% with less than a week left in the campaign and with only 8% of voters left undecided. Two days before the election, the Salt Lake Tribune called the race a dead heat, with the question trailing 46% to 43%, a deficit within the poll's margin of error.

Last Friday, Paul C. Burke, who is the Co-Chairman of the Five for Our Kids Committee and the President of the Utah Youth Soccer Association, told the Tribune, "We teach soccer players and sports players to play every minute of the game, and we're going to use every minute of this campaign." Burke also said, "You want your last few minutes of the game to be your best. We're going to do our best."

The final days of the campaign marked the Utah soccer community's finest hour. Soccer players, parents, coaches, referees, administrators, and supporters trudged door-to-door to urge residents in every neighborhood to support the visionary project. Teenage players and dedicated adult volunteers braved the winter's first storm to deliver door-hangers and fliers to approximately 30,000 residences during the campaign's last days. Despite freezing conditions and descending darkness, many youth teams participated in "honk and wave" events at key intersections and visible locations. Meanwhile, leaders in the soccer community worked to get out the vote with telephone and e-mail campaigns.

Victory required every moment of the campaign, and the contributions of every volunteer proved essential. "Tonight's victory belongs to Salt Lake City's kids," Burke said. "Salt Lake City cares about its kids, and voters responded to the earnest efforts of youth players to rally support for Proposition No. 5. We thank Salt Lake City's voters for investing in a project that will benefit our kids, unite our increasingly diverse community, and support our local economy. Salt Lake's Regional Sports Complex will be a jewel for our community and a legacy for generations to come."

Burke credited his co-chairman of the Five for Our Kids Committee, David Spatafore, as the architect of the campaign's historic rally. "Without Dave Spatafore's knowledge, experience, and political savvy, this victory would not have been possible," Burke said. Burke also extended his gratitude to Lawrence Reineke, Secretary of the Five for Our Kids Committee, for his service, spirit, and indefatigable passion for this project.

Burke also expressed his gratitude to the Mayor and his administration for developing plans for Salt Lake's Sports Complex. In addition, Burke thanked the City Council for supporting the concept and for putting the bond question on the ballot. Burke then expressed gratitude to the many community and business leaders who supported Proposition No. 5 as well as to the publications that endorsed it.

Finally, Burke offered his thanks to the legions of volunteers who stepped up to canvas the city, organize campaign events, build a website, design campaign materials, and innumerous other tasks. "Soccer is a team sport," Burke said. "And tonight's election was won by a team effort."