The founders of two companies reshaping the Snyderville Basin and Wasatch Back each wrote $25,000 checks to Utah Senate President Stuart Adams after he lost his Tuesday, June 23 primary, according to state campaign finance records first reported by Utah Political Watch.
Adams chairs the Military Installation Development Authority, the state body driving Deer Valley East Village forward. Both donors have active projects under MIDA's oversight or in its orbit.
John Miller, founder of Dakota Pacific Real Estate (now Six Ridge Partners), donated $25,000 within the July 1–21 reporting window. His company is preparing to break ground on the controversial mixed-use development at Kimball Junction. Gary Barnett, head of New York-based Extell Development, gave $25,000 on Tuesday, July 21. Extell is building most of East Village, including Four Seasons Hotel Residences with penthouses priced up to $37 million.
Dallas-based Dart Industries, another East Village landholder, added $10,000.
In total, Adams collected $117,600 in campaign contributions between Wednesday, July 1 and July 21, according to Utah Political Watch's review of state disclosure filings. Adams, R-Layton, lost the GOP primary in Senate District 7 and will leave the Legislature at year's end.
He won't leave MIDA. Adams has served on the authority's board since 2008 and his term as chair runs through March 2027. MIDA has budgeted roughly $274 million for East Village infrastructure and uses tax increment financing that redirects 75% of new property tax revenue away from local schools and county services for up to 40 years.
The donations are not the first from these developers. Earlier in 2026, Adams' political action committee received $25,000 each from Barnett and his wife and from SkyRidge owner Tyler Aldous and his wife. SkyRidge is part of MIDA's Wasatch County project area. In 2022, Barnett's wife and Miller each gave the Adams Leadership PAC $5,000.
That 2022 donation came a year before Summit County sued Dakota Pacific and state lawmakers, alleging "unconstitutional, legislative cronyism" in how the Kimball Junction project won approval. The lawsuit has since been dismissed, and Summit County and Six Ridge Partners have partnered on expanding the Kimball Junction Transit Center and adding community facilities. As we reported July 31, the Kimball Art Center is now selecting an architect for a new building within that development.
Utah law bars politicians from spending campaign funds on personal purchases but allows them to hold the money for a future campaign. Adams has not said publicly what his political future holds.
Adams did not respond to a request for comment from KPCW, which reported the donations Monday, August 3. Neither Miller nor Barnett has commented publicly.
A public event on the Kimball Junction development is scheduled for Saturday, September 12, where Six Ridge Partners is expected to reveal housing schematics and design details.
