West Jordan borrowed $12 million for park fields in 2024; a Ron Wood Park recreation center is on a separate county ballot
The city issued $12 million in sales tax revenue bonds in October 2024 for multipurpose fields and other park projects and plans to repay them with park impact fees. A proposed recreation center at Ron Wood Park depends on a Salt Lake County bond going to voters in November.
Continuing story: Auditing West Jordan
In October 2024 West Jordan issued $12.0 million in sales tax revenue bonds for the construction of multipurpose fields and other park improvements, according to its audited fiscal 2025 report. The proceeds included a $1.6 million premium. [1]
The report says the bond is backed by sales tax, the projects it pays for are eligible for impact fees, and the city anticipates paying the bond in full with impact fees. Impact fees are charges on new development. [1]
Repayment
The adopted fiscal 2027 budget lists $11,085,000 in principal on the 2024 bonds, with payments running from fiscal 2027 through 2044. It says debt service is to be paid by park impact fees and that the bonds are recorded in the Capital Projects Fund. [2]
The fiscal 2027 payment is $949,250: $395,000 in principal and $554,250 in interest. Over the remaining life of the bonds, the schedule lists $5,982,250 in interest. [2]
The city also owes $18,275,000 on 2016 Municipal Building Authority lease revenue bonds and $3,550,000 on 2021 water revenue bonds, the budget says. It reports no general obligation debt. [2]
Work at Ron Wood Park
The city's Ron Wood Park project page says the expansion includes large multi-use fields, a lighted artificial turf field, two restrooms, more parking, two pavilions, and a pump house and well. Work began the week of Feb. 12, 2026. [4]
An April 21, 2026 city update said the new fields, parking and amenities are expected to be finished by spring 2027. Neither page lists the project's cost. [5][4]
A separate recreation center proposal
On Aug. 24, 2026, the city announced that the Salt Lake County Council had voted to move forward with a county bond proposal that would help pay for a new recreation center at Ron Wood Park. The bond goes to county voters in November and would also pay for recreation projects elsewhere in the county. [3]
The announcement does not give a bond amount, a cost or a funding split, and says the renderings are preliminary. [3]
The $12 million is the original amount borrowed, not project spending. The county recreation-center bond is a proposal that had not gone to voters as of this story.
Sources
- West Jordan City · Annual Comprehensive Financial Report, year ended June 30, 2025 (MD&A)
- West Jordan City · FY2027 Annual Budget, adopted Aug. 25, 2026 (debt)
- West Jordan City · Aug. 24, 2026 recreation center announcement
- West Jordan City · Ron Wood Park upgrades project page
- West Jordan City · April 21, 2026 parks update
Reporting by The Utah Ledger from the public records above. AI-assisted, checked against those records.