[Archaea]

Okay, sorry to sound a discouraging note, but why should the Church spend that much money to spruce up downtown SLC?

How does that benefit Church membership, especially outside Utah? We could use that much to set up a university in Latin America or to really jump start research at BYU.

Whether tithing or other monies are used is irrelevant. If it's not tithing, then tithing will be used for other purposes to which this largesse of "nontithing" could be otherwise used. The Church is not that wealthy that Two Billion is insignificant. Count me in as perhaps the only card carring member who doesn't think this is a great investment for the Church and its members at large.

I will never reside in Utah and what goes on at HQ doesn't benefit anybody I know.