The nation’s soccer team practiced in front of fans this week at Real Salt Lake’s stadium in Sandy.

The majority of the Bosnians living in Utah did not leave for the Wasatch Front under favorable circumstances.

The Bosnian War in the mid-1990s brought more than 100,000 refugees to the United States, with thousands settling in Salt Lake City.

Thirty years later, however, a moment of celebration brought thousands of Bosnian-Americans together with the arrival of their country’s soccer team in Utah.

Blue and white jerseys flooded the plaza and stands of Real Salt Lake’s Sandy stadium on Monday to watch Bosnia-Herzegovina’s soccer team, which has made Utah its home base in between World Cup games.

“It was like a dream,” Anel Alagic, who was born in Bosnia but raised in Salt Lake, said. “That we qualified for the World Cup was crazy, but then they told us that the home base would never be here in Salt Lake. It’s surreal.”

The festivities extended beyond the field, as well, with several vendors and volunteers serving Bosnian food and drinks, including its signature coffee from the world’s largest coffee pot, which was made in Bosnia.

The pot is traveling with the national team, heading to Los Angeles on Thursday for a match against Switzerland and then to Seattle for Bosnia’s June 24 match against Qatar.

A dream just to qualify

Bosnia has qualified for the World Cup just twice since declaring its independence in 1992, with the first time coming in Brazil in 2014. This year’s team qualified in dramatic fashion, defeating four-time World Cup champion Italy on penalty kicks.

The Bosnian fans are not taking their team’s presence in the World Cup for granted, with a viral video showing thousands marching in Toronto before the first game and 40,000 to 50,000 expected to be in attendance in Los Angeles on Thursday.

Two Bosnian restaurants in Salt Lake, Cafe on Main and Old Bridge Cafe, will both be closing their doors on Thursday to make the trek to California in support of their country.

And it’s not just people born in Bosnia jumping on the bandwagon, with Cafe on Main saying several Americans showed up in Bosnia jerseys to watch the opening game at the restaurant last week in a packed house.

“I’ve invited a lot of my co-workers and friends that typically don’t even watch soccer,” Alagic said of Bosnia World Cup fever catching on, thanks to events like the open training session. “I was like, ‘We’re having this event. Show out.’ I’ve seen a lot of people here, so it’s cool.”

Bringing people together

“Because of the war, our community is all over the world,” said RSL goalkeeper coach Mirza Harambasic, who is Bosnian. “It’s especially strong in the United States, and it’s strong here in Salt Lake City. So obviously everyone is so excited, so happy to be here, so happy to support.”

Harambasic was born in Bosnia and, like many others, came to the U.S. in the ‘90s. He helped coordinate Monday’s event and was confident in Salt Lake’s ability to accommodate the soccer needs of a World Cup team.

“When you talk about an environment to be successful, I don’t think there are many better places in the United States,” Harambasic said. “As far as city, lifestyle, training at elevation, and then obviously the facilities that RSL provides.”

With the first two games in Bosnia’s Group B ending in 1-1 draws, the top two spots are still very much up for the taking, giving fans just enough hope that the country can advance beyond the World Cup group stage for the first time in its history.

SUNSET — A top Utah leader was in the hot seat Tuesday evening over a proposed artificial intelligence data center in Box Elder County.

Senate President Stuart Adams, R-Layton, is being challenged in this month’s primary by fellow Republicans Braden Hess and Stephanie Hollist.

At a town hall forum at Sunset Junior High School, all three candidates met to talk about the Stratos data center – which is being pushed by celebrity businessman Kevin O’Leary – and the state’s water policy overall.

The data center has sparked strong public pushback over concerns about water use and other things. Adams has helped move the project along as chair of the state’s Military Installation Development Authority, or MIDA.

During the forum, which was sponsored by the nonprofit Grow the Flow, Hollist repeatedly criticized the data center – including when she was asked about her vision for Utah’s water management.

“I might start by not proposing the largest data center in the country,” Hollist said to loud applause, “particularly without all of the voice of the people, the recognition of our concerns, and the data around it.”

Adams, who has served in the Legislature more than 20 years, said the state needs to be competitive in the “AI boom,” but he acknowledged public opposition to the proposal.

“The people spoke (and) said we need clarity, so I pushed back,” he said.

Indeed, Adams recently softened his public support of the project, pushing O’Leary to reduce the project’s size and make other changes, including sending unused water to the struggling Great Salt Lake.

“I tried to listen,” Adams told the crowd. “We actually got a better project because of that.”

Hess, for his part, said the government shouldn’t treat data centers differently than any other business.

“As long as they are not harming society and our resources in measurable ways,” Hess said, “I think we should allow them to go forward.”

But to the several dozen people who attended Tuesday’s forum, it was clear the data center is a non-starter.

“When you talk about a project that’s going to sap tax dollars away from residents, that’s going to take water, that’s going to endanger our way of life … it’s all a red flag,” said Tameron Williams, a Box Elder County resident who attended the forum. “It all feels pretty dangerous for where we’re at right now.”

Whichever Republican wins the Utah Senate primary next week will advance to the general election in November.

Fourteen Park City and Utah-based Olympians and Paralympians joined South Jordan Elementary school’s field day on June 3. 

The athletes partook in races, tug-of-war games and autograph signings with about 500 third- to sixth-grade students at the school. 

The surprise event for the students was part of Utah 2034’s effort to connect athletes with the communities that will play a role in hosting those Olympics and Paralympics. South Jordan Elementary is about 20 minutes away from 2034 venues like the Utah Olympic Oval in Kearns, which will host the speed skating events, and the Delta Center in Salt Lake City, which will host figure skating and short track speed skating events. 

Among the Parkites in the group were Ethan Cepuran, Kate Delson, Nick Goepper, Marin Hamill and Rell Harwood. Cepuran and Delson each won medals at the Milano Cortina Olympics and Paralympics, respectively. 

“Every athlete on that field today trains here, lives here and chose to spend an afternoon with a few hundred kids in South Jordan,” said Fraser Bullock, president and executive chair of the Utah Committee for the 2034 Olympic and Paralympic Winter Games. “That tells you something about Utah. The road to 2034 runs straight through schools like this one, and we intend to keep showing up until every child in this state knows these Games belong to them, too.”

South Jordan Principal Beth Pollock said she had never heard her students roar with such excitement. 

After spending a few hours with the students, the athletes tossed them some Utah 2034 merchandise to try and leave them with lasting excitement for the Games and a memento of the day. They also signed and left a banner for the school to keep.

“I have never heard my students make a sound like the one they made when those athletes came around the corner,” said Pollock. “But what I’ll remember is what came after: a kid who had never met an Olympian or a Paralympian being told ‘Keep moving, keep going,’ by someone who’s actually lived it. A field day ends at the final whistle, but that kind of belief sticks for a lifetime.”

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