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State lawyers say it wasn’t racist to suspend Tabby Mountain sale — even if it blocked the Ute Tribe from buying the land

The Ute Tribe offered the highest bid, at $47 million, for the coveted property that was once part of its reservation. But SITLA says it had “no duty” to go through with a sale.

(Rick Egan | The Salt Lake Tribune) Utah’s Tabby Mountain is seen in this photo from Thursday, Sept. 22, 2022. The Ute Indian Tribe tried to bid on the land when it was put up for sale by the Utah School and Institutional Trust Lands Administration in 2018; SITLA suspended the sale, and now the tribe is suing. Lawyers for the state responded on Monday, Aug. 28, 2023, saying SITLA has the right to cancel the bidding process at any time before a contract is signed.