BLADEOFSTEEL | NHL TEAM | UTAH HOCKEY CLUB

SEG close to $900 million deal to keep Utah HC in Salt Lake City for 30 years

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Cooper Godin
July 4, 2024 (7:35)

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Delta Center, home of the Utah Hockey Club

Photo credit: KUTV

Utah Hockey Club have only been in the state for less than three months but are already close to an arena deal that'll keep them in Salt Lake City for the next three decades.

According to Sports Business Journal, Ryan Smith, owner of the NHL's Utah Hockey Club and NBA's Utah Jazz, is close to a deal with Salt Lake City to keep both teams at Delta Center for the next 30 years.

In the deal with Salt Lake City, Smith will receive $900 million USD in public funding to renovate Delta Center and to develop a sports & entertainment district around the arena.

If either of Utah Hockey Club or the Utah Jazz play a home regular season game not at Delta Center, whether it be an outdoor game or game in Europe for the NHL for example, they'll face significant fines from the city.

To combat this however, if Utah is to ever participate in an outdoor game in the state or play abroad as part of the NHL Global Series, they'll likely have to be designated as the 'away' team. This is similar to a deal that the New York Rangers have with Madison Square Garden that required them to be the 'away' team during a pair of outdoor games at Yankee Stadium back in 2014.

"Jazz and Utah Hockey Club owner Ryan Smith is close to finalizing a deal with Salt Lake City that would see the teams be required to play all of their home games in the Delta Center «for the next 30 years or face significant penalties," according to a front-page piece by Gehrke & Miller of the SALT LAKE TRIBUNE. In exchange for $900M in public financing to "renovate the arena and develop a three-block sports and entertainment district,"" Sports Business Journal said.

It's great to see how committed Ryan Smith is to Utah Hockey Club and that he wants to build a sustainable future for the franchise in the state. This is something that Alex Meruelo was not able to do during his time as the owner of the now-dissolved Arizona Coyotes.

Previously on Bladeofsteel

Victor Hedman open up about Steven Stamkos departure, captaincy

Anaheim Ducks acquire former Stanley Cup champion

Vladimir Tarasenko officially signs a contract

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