SANDY, Utah, Aug. 1, 2024 (Gephardt Daily) — Smith Entertainment Group apparently has bigger plans for The Shops at South Town than an NHL practice and training facility.
SEG announced its acquisition Thursday of the entire 111-acre Sandy shopping center, where the Utah Hockey Club‘s permanent, state-of-the-art practice and training facility is expected to open in 2025.
The Shops at South Town will remain open for business, SEG said in a news release Thursday.
The practice facility, originally announced in May, will be built onto the southeast end of the shopping center and 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, according to SEG.
A ceremonial groundbreaking for the training facility is set for 10 a.m. Monday, Aug. 12.
When completed, the training facility will be available for community purposes, including accommodating community hockey programs, and offering ice time for recreation as well as youth and amateur hockey, SEG officials said.
The facility will feature a public entrance, NHL team store, locker rooms, elevated seating around both rinks, and other multipurpose spaces for community events.
“Today is a crucial step forward in expanding SEG’s real estate footprint and public benefit offerings for our fans and residents of Utah,” said Jim Olson, an SEG executive and project lead for The Shops at South Town. “We are thankful for our collaboration with the City of Sandy on this project, and we look forward to sharing more details throughout the development process.”
The purchase announced Thursday includes The Shops at South Town, its surrounding parking lot, and some adjacent retailers, restaurants, and hospitality buildings on the 111-acre property bordered by Interstate 15, 10000 South, State Street and 10600 South, SEG officials said.
Sandy Mayor Monica Zoltanski said the sale of the shopping center to SEG is an “exciting step forward for professional sports in Utah, and brings new opportunity to hockey fans and families along with great economic support for our growing downtown Cairns District.”
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.
SEG officials have 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.
In June, SEG announced plans to partner with the Utah Olympic Legacy Foundation to renovate the Utah Olympic Oval and create a practice site for the team’s inaugural NHL season.
SEG is contributing “several million dollars in capital investment” to renovate 17,400 square feet at the Kearns facility “to develop a cutting-edge practice site” for the team, company officials said.
The upgraded Utah Olympic Oval will become the team’s headquarters for its inaugural NHL season, as well as create lasting benefits for youth and Olympic athletes who train at the oval, according to SEG.
