SANDY, Utah, May 6, 2024 (Gephardt Daily) — Smith Entertainment Group announced plans Monday to build an NHL practice and training facility at The Shops at South Town in advance of the 2025-26 season.
The state-of-the-art training facility on the 111-acre site will include at least two NHL regulation ice surfaces for Utah’s new team to practice and train, while also serving as the team’s official offices, SEG officials said in a news release.
The NHL Board of Governors approved the Arizona Coyotes’ sale to SEG owners Ryan and Ashley Smith on April 18, allowing the team to be rebranded and relocated to Utah in time for the 2024-25 season.
The yet-to-be-named Utah NHL team will begin play at the Delta Center in Salt Lake City this fall.
When completed, the training facility at the Sandy shopping center also will be available for community purposes, according to SEG, including accommodating community hockey programs, and offering ice time for recreation as well as youth and amateur hockey.
The facility will feature a public entrance, NHL team store, locker rooms, elevated seating around both rinks, and other multipurpose spaces for community events. More information about construction plans and the facility’s layout will be forthcoming, SEG officials said.
Sandy Mayor Monica Zoltanski said the city “could not be more excited to become the home to the new NHL team’s long-term practice facility.”
“We have worked collaboratively with Smith Entertainment Group for many years and are excited about their expanding presence in our community with one of the world’s premier hockey training facilities in our city,” Zoltanski said.
SEG officials said they’re committed to “ensuring The Shops at South Town continue to be a vibrant and integral part of the community, and the NHL practice facility is an important first step toward this goal,” according to the news release.
A temporary practice and training facility for the Utah NHL team has not yet been announced, though SEG officials said they’re “enthusiastically working with a variety of local partners” to finalize those plans.
SEG purchased the Coyotes’ hockey assets — including its players, draft picks and hockey operations department — in the $1.2 billion sale.
Arizona owner Alex Meruelo received $1 billion in the deal, and $200 million went toward a relocation fee to be distributed to the league’s owners. If Meruelo is awarded an expansion franchise in Arizona in the next five years, he would be required to pay back the $1 billion.
As part of the deal, Meruelo retained the Coyotes’ name, logos and trademarks, as well as ownership of the team’s minor-league franchise, the American Hockey League’s Tucson Roadrunners.
SEG also owns the Utah Jazz and its G League affiliate, the Salt Lake City Stars, as well as professional soccer franchises Real Salt Lake (MLS), Utah Royals (NWSL) and Real Monarchs (MSL NEXT pro). The sports, entertainment, real estate and technology investment group’s portfolio also includes the Delta Center and America First Credit Union Field.
Pacific Retail Capital Partners owns The Shops at South Town.
