Utah down to 6 finalist for team name

[mikecubs]

Utah lawmakers approve downtown NBA/NHL arena bill as they seek 'vibrant' capital

Utah lawmakers have approved a bill that paves the way for a new arena in downtown Salt Lake City that could be the home of the Utah Jazz and a potential National Hockey League team.

Utah senators voted 22-4 Friday to concur with changes that the House of Representatives made to SB272 Thursday night before the House voted 50-20 to approve the measure. The bill now heads to Gov. Spencer Cox's desk for final approval.

Rep. Jon Hawkins, R-Pleasant Grove, the bill's House sponsor, introduced a substitution on Thursday that tweaked the name from a "reinvestment" to a "revitalization" zone. It also adds new language tied to downtown safety concerns, including new public safety, homelessness mitigation, transportation and parking plans for the zone.

However, Hawkins said changes don't alter the essence of the bill. It still sets up the framework for an NBA or NHL owner — such as Ryan Smith and the Smith Entertainment Group — to approach Salt Lake City and the state and agree to a plan to revitalize the area, including a new arena for the Utah Jazz and an NHL franchise.

Updates to venues like the Salt Palace Convention Center or Abravanel Hall could also be included. All government-related funds would be covered through bonds issued either by the city, county or state, on top of any private funds directed toward investment.

Those entities will now work together to produce a master plan for those changes, which would be approved by both the Salt Lake City Council and a zone committee that would be formed.

"With the Olympics coming in 10 years or so, we want our capital city to be vibrant, to be a great place for families to come and enjoy what we have to offer — not only as a city, but as a state," Hawkins said. "It brings our capital to life again."

Sen. Dan McCay, R-Riverton, the bill's Senate sponsor, previously adjusted the bill to allow for Salt Lake City to opt into a 0.5% sales tax increase that would be dedicated to the zone if it so chooses. That's estimated to generate $54 million to $83 million annually, depending on if it's imposed just in Salt Lake City or across three qualifying cities, according to state legislative financial analysts.

He didn't debate the changes and there was very little discussion of the bill before Friday's vote. The Senate had voted 21-7 on Tuesday to advance the bill to the House before it was amended, requiring a Senate revote.

Smith, Salt Lake City Mayor Erin Mendenhall and Salt Lake County Mayor Jenny Wilson celebrated the bill's passage after endorsing it throughout the legislative process.

In a joint statement, the three said they believe the state needs a "thriving downtown in its capital city" so it can continue to blossom.

"With today's passage of the Capital City Reinvestment Zone bill, we are poised to invest deeply in Salt Lake City's downtown experience," the statement reads, in part. "There's a lot of work ahead of us, and we're thrilled to have this seminal opportunity to partner together to reimagine the downtown experience — to create a comprehensive, visionary plan that generates a vibrant, safe, and fully activated downtown."

Downtown Salt Lake City's population is projected to double in the coming years as it becomes increasingly residential again. At the same time, the trio said they believe there's an opportunity to build on existing experiences.

That includes keeping the Utah Jazz downtown and potentially bringing in an NHL team on top of other arts, culture and entertainment opportunities, including the latest Broadway shows, "world-renowned concerts," and global events like the 2034 Winter Olympics, Smith, Mendenhall and Wilson said.

"This is a great day for all Utahns and we look forward to continued collaboration toward our goal of creating an unrivaled experience in downtown Salt Lake City," they wrote.

The bill also received another major endorsement on the penultimate day of the legislative session, before the two chambers voted. Doug Andersen, a spokesman for The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, said the church supported any efforts that ensure Utah's capital city "remains vibrant and attractive, both for those who live and work here as well as those who visit."

The church's headquarters, Temple Square and other properties are all near the arena and revitalization district.

"We're pleased with the potential this has to refresh and revitalize downtown Salt Lake City while presenting a safe and family-friendly gathering place for generations to come," Andersen told KSL in a statement.

On Wednesday, the Smith Entertainment Group announced that it has formally requested the NHL to start an expansion process for a potential Utah franchise.
SB272 was passed two days after HB562 cleared the Utah Legislature, setting up a similar structure for Salt Lake City's Fairpark neighborhood and the framework for a potential Major League Baseball stadium.

Critics of both bills, as well as scholars, are more skeptical of the bills' impact. Some residents and groups argued the bills appeared to be rushed and benefitted wealthy owners who don't need government help.

J.C. Bradbury, a professor of economics at Kennesaw State in Georgia, questioned Smith's claims about a new arena on social media earlier this week, too. Bradbury authored a study in 2022 that found little evidence to show that the stadiums provided much economic benefit based on analysis of what happened when the Atlanta Braves moved to Truist Park.

"There is little evidence that sports venues promote the type of commerce that downtowns need to prosper, and there are good reasons to think associated congestion and crime created by events hurt the area," he wrote, in response to Smith.

Other studies have shown that adding a stadium doesn't add to what people are willing to spend on entertainment, David Berri, a professor of economics at Southern Utah University and former president of the North American Association of Sports Economists, explained to KSL.com last year. He added that they can also pull people from spending time and money in another part of a city, state or region.

It appears that the governor is leaning toward signing both bills, though.

Cox told KSL.com on Friday that he yet to read SB272, but he believes it and HB562 offer much more than just stadiums. He believes both will focus on major improvements to areas the stadiums would be located in.

"This isn't about building stadiums. This is about transforming downtown Salt Lake City in a way that only happens once every 100 years-plus, and transforming the west side," he said. "Even if we never built a hockey arena or a baseball ballpark, these projects on their own would be worth the attention and the investment. ... This is big stuff and transformational in a good way."

He has until March 21 to sign or veto either bill.

www.ksl.com/article/50936222/utah-lawmakers-approve-downtown-nbanhl-arena-bill-as-they-seek-vibrant-capital

[mikecubs]

So they approved a baseball stadium too($900M of public money) if a team comes. The Miller family(former owners of the Utah Jazz) would invest $3.5B of their own money too on a development on the west side of Salt Lake City. In total if the arena and ballpark are built it would be $2B worth of public money. Salt Lake City combined statistical area is a little un 2.8M which is kind of small for 3 teams but it is growing fast and MLB probably wouldn't come until around 2030 if it came. The Millers only project an attendance of 27,000 for the 1st year of the MLB team which is very light for a 1st year of a new team.
Pics

[2b9]

Mar 7, 2024 3:34:02 GMT -6 mikecubs said:

Utah lawmakers approve downtown NBA/NHL arena bill as they seek 'vibrant' capital

Utah lawmakers have approved a bill that paves the way for a new arena in downtown Salt Lake City that could be the home of the Utah Jazz and a potential National Hockey League team.

Utah senators voted 22-4 Friday to concur with changes that the House of Representatives made to SB272 Thursday night before the House voted 50-20 to approve the measure. The bill now heads to Gov. Spencer Cox's desk for final approval.

Rep. Jon Hawkins, R-Pleasant Grove, the bill's House sponsor, introduced a substitution on Thursday that tweaked the name from a "reinvestment" to a "revitalization" zone. It also adds new language tied to downtown safety concerns, including new public safety, homelessness mitigation, transportation and parking plans for the zone.

However, Hawkins said changes don't alter the essence of the bill. It still sets up the framework for an NBA or NHL owner — such as Ryan Smith and the Smith Entertainment Group — to approach Salt Lake City and the state and agree to a plan to revitalize the area, including a new arena for the Utah Jazz and an NHL franchise.

Updates to venues like the Salt Palace Convention Center or Abravanel Hall could also be included. All government-related funds would be covered through bonds issued either by the city, county or state, on top of any private funds directed toward investment.

Those entities will now work together to produce a master plan for those changes, which would be approved by both the Salt Lake City Council and a zone committee that would be formed.

"With the Olympics coming in 10 years or so, we want our capital city to be vibrant, to be a great place for families to come and enjoy what we have to offer — not only as a city, but as a state," Hawkins said. "It brings our capital to life again."

Sen. Dan McCay, R-Riverton, the bill's Senate sponsor, previously adjusted the bill to allow for Salt Lake City to opt into a 0.5% sales tax increase that would be dedicated to the zone if it so chooses. That's estimated to generate $54 million to $83 million annually, depending on if it's imposed just in Salt Lake City or across three qualifying cities, according to state legislative financial analysts.

He didn't debate the changes and there was very little discussion of the bill before Friday's vote. The Senate had voted 21-7 on Tuesday to advance the bill to the House before it was amended, requiring a Senate revote.

Smith, Salt Lake City Mayor Erin Mendenhall and Salt Lake County Mayor Jenny Wilson celebrated the bill's passage after endorsing it throughout the legislative process.

In a joint statement, the three said they believe the state needs a "thriving downtown in its capital city" so it can continue to blossom.

"With today's passage of the Capital City Reinvestment Zone bill, we are poised to invest deeply in Salt Lake City's downtown experience," the statement reads, in part. "There's a lot of work ahead of us, and we're thrilled to have this seminal opportunity to partner together to reimagine the downtown experience — to create a comprehensive, visionary plan that generates a vibrant, safe, and fully activated downtown."

Downtown Salt Lake City's population is projected to double in the coming years as it becomes increasingly residential again. At the same time, the trio said they believe there's an opportunity to build on existing experiences.

That includes keeping the Utah Jazz downtown and potentially bringing in an NHL team on top of other arts, culture and entertainment opportunities, including the latest Broadway shows, "world-renowned concerts," and global events like the 2034 Winter Olympics, Smith, Mendenhall and Wilson said.

"This is a great day for all Utahns and we look forward to continued collaboration toward our goal of creating an unrivaled experience in downtown Salt Lake City," they wrote.

The bill also received another major endorsement on the penultimate day of the legislative session, before the two chambers voted. Doug Andersen, a spokesman for The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, said the church supported any efforts that ensure Utah's capital city "remains vibrant and attractive, both for those who live and work here as well as those who visit."

The church's headquarters, Temple Square and other properties are all near the arena and revitalization district.

"We're pleased with the potential this has to refresh and revitalize downtown Salt Lake City while presenting a safe and family-friendly gathering place for generations to come," Andersen told KSL in a statement.

On Wednesday, the Smith Entertainment Group announced that it has formally requested the NHL to start an expansion process for a potential Utah franchise.
SB272 was passed two days after HB562 cleared the Utah Legislature, setting up a similar structure for Salt Lake City's Fairpark neighborhood and the framework for a potential Major League Baseball stadium.

Critics of both bills, as well as scholars, are more skeptical of the bills' impact. Some residents and groups argued the bills appeared to be rushed and benefitted wealthy owners who don't need government help.

J.C. Bradbury, a professor of economics at Kennesaw State in Georgia, questioned Smith's claims about a new arena on social media earlier this week, too. Bradbury authored a study in 2022 that found little evidence to show that the stadiums provided much economic benefit based on analysis of what happened when the Atlanta Braves moved to Truist Park.

"There is little evidence that sports venues promote the type of commerce that downtowns need to prosper, and there are good reasons to think associated congestion and crime created by events hurt the area," he wrote, in response to Smith.

Other studies have shown that adding a stadium doesn't add to what people are willing to spend on entertainment, David Berri, a professor of economics at Southern Utah University and former president of the North American Association of Sports Economists, explained to KSL.com last year. He added that they can also pull people from spending time and money in another part of a city, state or region.

It appears that the governor is leaning toward signing both bills, though.

Cox told KSL.com on Friday that he yet to read SB272, but he believes it and HB562 offer much more than just stadiums. He believes both will focus on major improvements to areas the stadiums would be located in.

"This isn't about building stadiums. This is about transforming downtown Salt Lake City in a way that only happens once every 100 years-plus, and transforming the west side," he said. "Even if we never built a hockey arena or a baseball ballpark, these projects on their own would be worth the attention and the investment. ... This is big stuff and transformational in a good way."

He has until March 21 to sign or veto either bill.

www.ksl.com/article/50936222/utah-lawmakers-approve-downtown-nbanhl-arena-bill-as-they-seek-vibrant-capital

As per NHL, is it an expansion franchise or relocation of an NHL team?

Cheers,

2b9😉😃👍

[2b9]

Mar 7, 2024 3:40:09 GMT -6 mikecubs said:

So they approved a baseball stadium too($900M of public money) if a team comes. The Miller family(former owners of the Utah Jazz) would invest $3.5B of their own money too on a development on the west side of Salt Lake City. In total if the arena and ballpark are built it would be $2B worth of public money. Salt Lake City combined statistical area is a little un 2.8M which is kind of small for 3 teams but it is growing fast and MLB probably wouldn't come until around 2030 if it came. The Millers only project an attendance of 27,000 for the 1st year of the MLB team which is very light for a 1st year of a new team.
Pics

Looks great as per the fan experience.

Cheers,

2b9😉😃👍

[mikecubs]

Either or. I have a feeling the Coyotes are going to relocate either this spring or next to Salt Lake City. I heard nothing on a new arena in Arizona. I can't see the Phoenix market supporting a 3rd arena. Maybe in 15 or so years when the Suns arena is deemed obsolete they could build a new NBA/NHL arena and give it a shot for real.

[ekjet72]

Mike, down in FL the news that the new Arlington arena may hit the skids is in the press. Apparently the state Senate leader has not and will not give her approval. Something about taxpayer's money and that the Gov and Leonsis forgot to include her in discussions. Golfing with a DC guy here says the project is a traffic nightmare on top of a traffic disaster.

[mikecubs]

Mar 10, 2024 12:18:38 GMT -6 ekjet72 said:

Mike, down in FL the news that the new Arlington arena may hit the skids is in the press. Apparently the state Senate leader has not and will not give her approval. Something about taxpayer's money and that the Gov and Leonsis forgot to include her in discussions. Golfing with a DC guy here says the project is a traffic nightmare on top of a traffic disaster.

I've seen that. It certainly won't get approved this year but long term who knows? I hope they renovated the arena they are in.

[2b9]

Mar 10, 2024 12:18:38 GMT -6 ekjet72 said:

Mike, down in FL the news that the new Arlington arena may hit the skids is in the press. Apparently the state Senate leader has not and will not give her approval. Something about taxpayer's money and that the Gov and Leonsis forgot to include her in discussions. Golfing with a DC guy here says the project is a traffic nightmare on top of a traffic disaster.

Traffic down there in that area is already crazy, I’ve heard from a lot of people that go down there that it’s crazy.

[mikecubs]

This is Ryan Smith’s new ‘Plan A’ for Utah’s NHL arena
Team owner Ryan Smith plans to renovate Delta Center, not build new arena, to host his NHL team.

The Delta Center may be hockey’s home for good.

Rather than building a new arena to host his yet-to-be-named NHL team, owner Ryan Smith said Friday he will instead pursue massive reconstructive changes to the Delta Center to make the Utah Jazz arena more hockey friendly.

The Smith Entertainment Group leader said his team is pushing reconstruction plans for the downtown arena that would allow approximately 17,500 seats in a hockey configuration. The Delta Center currently hosts 18,300 fans for basketball.

“We have Plan A, B and C. But there’s only Plan A,” Smith said of his desire to renovate the arena.

Those construction plans would be implemented over multiple summers, the offseason for both NBA and NHL play. Smith said that he believes the stadium will be able to host 16,000 attendees by the time the NHL team plays its first game in October, though approximately 4,000 of those seats will have obstructed views.

The team plans to undergo minor construction this summer — for example, building the hockey teams’ locker rooms. The rest of the reconstruction would wait until future offseasons, and critically, the approval of the city’s tax increase.

SB272, the bill passed by the Utah Legislature this winter and signed into law by Gov. Spencer Cox in March, allows Salt Lake City to raise its sales tax by 0.5% to raise funds for the “construction or remodel of a qualified stadium” along with “construction, demolition, modification, or realignment of infrastructure or structures within the project area.” The tax hike would, in the estimation of the Legislature, raise $54 million per year that would go towards repaying bond on the project; over 20 years, it’s a total that sums to over $1 billion.

That hike, though, still requires the city council’s approval. First discussions on the increase took place at an April 16 meeting, and the final vote will likely take place in July.

“I’ve been assured by a number of the political leaders that we’ll have no arena drama, and based on where we came from, I’d prefer no arena drama,” NHL commissioner Gary Bettman said, referencing the set of circumstances that pushed the NHL to force Coyotes owner Alex Meruelo to give up his team.

If that tax hike doesn’t pass, Bettman told ESPN700 on Friday that he’s seen a second set of arena plans. “There are a couple of sets of plans which I’ve seen. One is obviously a renovation and a resizing and configuring of this building. And the other is ... a new building,” he said. “But either way, I’m comfortable. There’ll be an arena, major-league standard, 17,000 people for hockey.”

A new arena would likely be built south of Salt Lake City.

The list of attendees at Friday’s news conference indicated political support for the downtown option is high: Utah Gov. Spencer Cox, Salt Lake City Mayor Erin Mendenhall, Salt Lake County Mayor Jenny Wilson, Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints apostle Ronald Rasband, University of Utah President Taylor Randall. Critically, seven of the Salt Lake City council attended, along with several members of the Utah Legislature.

Earlier indications this year from Smith were that the team would seek to build a new stadium that hosts both Utah’s NBA and NHL teams. On Feb. 27, Smith tweeted a rendering of a new arena, which looks very different from the Delta Center, at the center of a downtown entertainment district.

So why was downtown renovation Smith’s current preferred option, the one they’re prioritizing with Bettman and company?

Smith acknowledged that building a new arena further south was his first option.


“It’s pretty easy to build on a blank piece of land down south,” he said. “That was where my head went. SEG does a lot better on 100 acres and 5,000 housing units than it does on two city blocks. I’m only BYU educated, but I get that part.”

But Smith said legislative leaders intervened to keep the Jazz and NHL team downtown.

“Our elected officials,” Smith said, turning to address those in attendance Friday. “I know you guys get dragged every way possible, you guys literally stopped us in the middle of the process and said ‘These both have to be downtown, so go figure out what you have to do.’” The Delta Center remodel plans were the result.

Then, why renovation over construction downtown?

“We really aren’t in a position downtown to just find a lot of land to stage and build a new arena,” Smith said. “You see how hard it is for the (LDS) Church to rebuild what they’re doing, how much land that takes up.”

Smith instead envisioned spending a significant portion of the approved development money on the other aspects of the plan: the entertainment district and plaza outside of the Delta Center. He said the goal is to get housing near the arena for the hockey team’s players to live, along with a substantial public plaza that can act as a medals plaza during the Olympics.

One fear is that construction to accommodate hockey could impact Delta Center’s basketball experience, considered one of the best in the NBA. Before the season ended, Jazz head coach Will Hardy spoke about how he prefers the steep slope of seats in the Delta Center’s current construction.

“The way that our arena is set up with how close the fans are to the court, I always enjoy watching our players interact with the fans. I think that’s pretty unique to our setup.”

Smith and others, though, said that maintaining or improving the arena’s basketball experience was possible.

“We have a lot of work to do so that we can have an arena where we can be proud to host hockey, with the best sightlines and the biggest crowds,” Cox said.

www.sltrib.com/sports/jazz/2024/04/19/this-is-ryan-smiths-new-plan-utahs/

[mikecubs]

Gary Bettman says there are plans to increase capacity at Delta Center in Utah to 17,000

The ink is barely dry on the Coyotes' relocation to Utah and plans to increase capacity at their arena are already underway.

NHL commissioner Gary Bettman told NHL Network's Adnan Virk on Thursday that the team is working on increasing the number of unobstructed seats at Delta Center to 17,000 from 12,000 within two seasons.

"There are plans, which I've seen. It'll take two summers to do it, after this summer," Bettman said. "The unobstructed capacity will be 17,000 when they're done. And while it's 12,000 unobstructed now, there's still another 4,000 obstructed seats for the temporary part of this."

The jump to 12,000 in the first year is still a big step up for the team, as the former rink at Mullett Arena on Arizona State University's campus only seated 4,600 for NHL games.

"What really was underlying all this was what we thought would be a temporary facility, meaning Mullett ... We were looking under a best-case of three to five years," Bettman told Virk. "It wasn't appropriate for the league, it's not a major league building, and it wasn't fair to the players."

The Utah hockey team will share the Delta Center with the Utah Jazz until a new rink is built. That project is in the early stages of development ahead of Salt Lake City likely hosting the 2034 Winter Olympics.

The team is already putting that higher capacity to good use, as owner Ryan Smith took to X, formerly known as Twitter, on Thursday to announce that 11,000 and counting season ticket deposits had already made.

The NHL announced the move Thursday, following an emotional final game at Mullett Arena on Wednesday night. The move, which has been an open secret for a week, was officially approved by the NHL Board of Governors after a vote on Thursday afternoon.

The team will be purchased by Ryan and Ashley Smith in a $1.2-billion deal brokered by the league. The Smiths are owners of Smith Entertainment Group, whose portfolio includes the NBA's Jazz and MLS’s Real Salt Lake.

www.sportsnet.ca/nhl/article/gary-bettman-says-there-are-plans-to-increase-capacity-at-delta-center-in-utah-to-17000/

[mikecubs]

I'm glad they are not doing the south suburban arena but the Jazz and hockey team should have played in temporary places and they should have demolished the arena and built a new one at that spot.

They Coyotes could have played in Quebec/Houston 2-3 years and the Jazz could have played in Seattle or Vegas.

I just can't see how they can fix the bowl to make it NHL compatible.

[2b9]

Apr 22, 2024 5:36:49 GMT -6 mikecubs said:

I'm glad they are not doing the south suburban arena but the Jazz and hockey team should have played in temporary places and they should have demolished the arena and built a new one at that spot.

They Coyotes could have played in Quebec/Houston 2-3 years and the Jazz could have played in Seattle or Vegas.

I just can't see how they can fix the bowl to make it NHL compatible.

We shall see how well this Reno works out, the owners seem to think that it will suffice.

2b9😉😃👍

[2b9]

Apr 22, 2024 5:33:24 GMT -6 mikecubs said:

Gary Bettman says there are plans to increase capacity at Delta Center in Utah to 17,000

The ink is barely dry on the Coyotes' relocation to Utah and plans to increase capacity at their arena are already underway.

NHL commissioner Gary Bettman told NHL Network's Adnan Virk on Thursday that the team is working on increasing the number of unobstructed seats at Delta Center to 17,000 from 12,000 within two seasons.

"There are plans, which I've seen. It'll take two summers to do it, after this summer," Bettman said. "The unobstructed capacity will be 17,000 when they're done. And while it's 12,000 unobstructed now, there's still another 4,000 obstructed seats for the temporary part of this."

The jump to 12,000 in the first year is still a big step up for the team, as the former rink at Mullett Arena on Arizona State University's campus only seated 4,600 for NHL games.

"What really was underlying all this was what we thought would be a temporary facility, meaning Mullett ... We were looking under a best-case of three to five years," Bettman told Virk. "It wasn't appropriate for the league, it's not a major league building, and it wasn't fair to the players."

The Utah hockey team will share the Delta Center with the Utah Jazz until a new rink is built. That project is in the early stages of development ahead of Salt Lake City likely hosting the 2034 Winter Olympics.

The team is already putting that higher capacity to good use, as owner Ryan Smith took to X, formerly known as Twitter, on Thursday to announce that 11,000 and counting season ticket deposits had already made.

The NHL announced the move Thursday, following an emotional final game at Mullett Arena on Wednesday night. The move, which has been an open secret for a week, was officially approved by the NHL Board of Governors after a vote on Thursday afternoon.

The team will be purchased by Ryan and Ashley Smith in a $1.2-billion deal brokered by the league. The Smiths are owners of Smith Entertainment Group, whose portfolio includes the NBA's Jazz and MLS’s Real Salt Lake.

www.sportsnet.ca/nhl/article/gary-bettman-says-there-are-plans-to-increase-capacity-at-delta-center-in-utah-to-17000/

Thanks for this👍.

2b9😉😃👍

[2b9]

Apr 22, 2024 5:30:50 GMT -6 mikecubs said:

This is Ryan Smith’s new ‘Plan A’ for Utah’s NHL arena
Team owner Ryan Smith plans to renovate Delta Center, not build new arena, to host his NHL team.

The Delta Center may be hockey’s home for good.

Rather than building a new arena to host his yet-to-be-named NHL team, owner Ryan Smith said Friday he will instead pursue massive reconstructive changes to the Delta Center to make the Utah Jazz arena more hockey friendly.

The Smith Entertainment Group leader said his team is pushing reconstruction plans for the downtown arena that would allow approximately 17,500 seats in a hockey configuration. The Delta Center currently hosts 18,300 fans for basketball.

“We have Plan A, B and C. But there’s only Plan A,” Smith said of his desire to renovate the arena.

Those construction plans would be implemented over multiple summers, the offseason for both NBA and NHL play. Smith said that he believes the stadium will be able to host 16,000 attendees by the time the NHL team plays its first game in October, though approximately 4,000 of those seats will have obstructed views.

The team plans to undergo minor construction this summer — for example, building the hockey teams’ locker rooms. The rest of the reconstruction would wait until future offseasons, and critically, the approval of the city’s tax increase.

SB272, the bill passed by the Utah Legislature this winter and signed into law by Gov. Spencer Cox in March, allows Salt Lake City to raise its sales tax by 0.5% to raise funds for the “construction or remodel of a qualified stadium” along with “construction, demolition, modification, or realignment of infrastructure or structures within the project area.” The tax hike would, in the estimation of the Legislature, raise $54 million per year that would go towards repaying bond on the project; over 20 years, it’s a total that sums to over $1 billion.

That hike, though, still requires the city council’s approval. First discussions on the increase took place at an April 16 meeting, and the final vote will likely take place in July.

“I’ve been assured by a number of the political leaders that we’ll have no arena drama, and based on where we came from, I’d prefer no arena drama,” NHL commissioner Gary Bettman said, referencing the set of circumstances that pushed the NHL to force Coyotes owner Alex Meruelo to give up his team.

If that tax hike doesn’t pass, Bettman told ESPN700 on Friday that he’s seen a second set of arena plans. “There are a couple of sets of plans which I’ve seen. One is obviously a renovation and a resizing and configuring of this building. And the other is ... a new building,” he said. “But either way, I’m comfortable. There’ll be an arena, major-league standard, 17,000 people for hockey.”

A new arena would likely be built south of Salt Lake City.

The list of attendees at Friday’s news conference indicated political support for the downtown option is high: Utah Gov. Spencer Cox, Salt Lake City Mayor Erin Mendenhall, Salt Lake County Mayor Jenny Wilson, Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints apostle Ronald Rasband, University of Utah President Taylor Randall. Critically, seven of the Salt Lake City council attended, along with several members of the Utah Legislature.

Earlier indications this year from Smith were that the team would seek to build a new stadium that hosts both Utah’s NBA and NHL teams. On Feb. 27, Smith tweeted a rendering of a new arena, which looks very different from the Delta Center, at the center of a downtown entertainment district.

So why was downtown renovation Smith’s current preferred option, the one they’re prioritizing with Bettman and company?

Smith acknowledged that building a new arena further south was his first option.


“It’s pretty easy to build on a blank piece of land down south,” he said. “That was where my head went. SEG does a lot better on 100 acres and 5,000 housing units than it does on two city blocks. I’m only BYU educated, but I get that part.”

But Smith said legislative leaders intervened to keep the Jazz and NHL team downtown.

“Our elected officials,” Smith said, turning to address those in attendance Friday. “I know you guys get dragged every way possible, you guys literally stopped us in the middle of the process and said ‘These both have to be downtown, so go figure out what you have to do.’” The Delta Center remodel plans were the result.

Then, why renovation over construction downtown?

“We really aren’t in a position downtown to just find a lot of land to stage and build a new arena,” Smith said. “You see how hard it is for the (LDS) Church to rebuild what they’re doing, how much land that takes up.”

Smith instead envisioned spending a significant portion of the approved development money on the other aspects of the plan: the entertainment district and plaza outside of the Delta Center. He said the goal is to get housing near the arena for the hockey team’s players to live, along with a substantial public plaza that can act as a medals plaza during the Olympics.

One fear is that construction to accommodate hockey could impact Delta Center’s basketball experience, considered one of the best in the NBA. Before the season ended, Jazz head coach Will Hardy spoke about how he prefers the steep slope of seats in the Delta Center’s current construction.

“The way that our arena is set up with how close the fans are to the court, I always enjoy watching our players interact with the fans. I think that’s pretty unique to our setup.”

Smith and others, though, said that maintaining or improving the arena’s basketball experience was possible.

“We have a lot of work to do so that we can have an arena where we can be proud to host hockey, with the best sightlines and the biggest crowds,” Cox said.

www.sltrib.com/sports/jazz/2024/04/19/this-is-ryan-smiths-new-plan-utahs/

Thanks for this👍.

Cheers,

2b9😉😃👍

[Bruinsfan]

So are they blowing out the sides of the arena and pulling it back or is it going to be modular in some way so that they can essentially lego it together so its all unobstructed?