'They're an institution': Salt Lake City looks to lock Utah Jazz amid relocation speculation

Interviews take place at the Delta Center prior to a Utah Jazz in Salt Lake City on Oct. 25. Salt Lake City leaders say they are committed to keeping the Utah Jazz downtown as the team could be looking at a new arena in the future.

Interviews take place at the Delta Center prior to a Utah Jazz in Salt Lake City on Oct. 25. Salt Lake City leaders say they are committed to keeping the Utah Jazz downtown as the team could be looking at a new arena in the future. (Jeffrey D. Allred, Deseret News)


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SALT LAKE CITY — A newly sworn-in Salt Lake City Council member reaffirmed her desire to keep the Utah Jazz in downtown Salt Lake City after taking a slight dig at the team owner's possible interest in moving the team to another part of the valley during her inauguration speech on Tuesday.

"District 4 is a vibrant place that can't be replicated anywhere else in our state," Councilwoman Eva López Chávez told KSL NewsRadio on Wednesday, referring to her district, which includes downtown and other neighborhoods near it.

"To me, the Jazz — they're an institution that's baked into the fabric of Salt Lake City," she later added.

Utah Jazz owner Ryan Smith met with members of the Point of the Mountain State Land Authority over a possible new arena on the old Utah State Prison site in Draper at one point, but there haven't been any major discussions about it since, land authority officials told KSL.com Sports in September. The massive property is in the middle of being redeveloped after the state moved the prison to Salt Lake City's Northwest Quadrant in 2022.

Recent reports about that meeting rekindled relocation speculation that López referenced moments after being sworn in.

"(District 4) is the beating heart and soul of our city. Diversity and density are our strengths, but someone tell that to Ryan Smith because you sure won't find that at the Point of the Mountain," she said, drawing a few claps and hollers from the crowd attending the ceremony.

She said Wednesday that she's aware of issues some residents have with downtown Salt Lake City, including crime. She added that her goal over the next four years will be to help make downtown safer and accessible for families.

New Salt Lake City Council member Eva Lopez Chavez, who will represent the city's District 4, takes the oath of office in Salt Lake City on Tuesday.
New Salt Lake City Council member Eva Lopez Chavez, who will represent the city's District 4, takes the oath of office in Salt Lake City on Tuesday. (Photo: Jeffrey D. Allred, Deseret News)

It remains unclear if Smith plans to move the Jazz out of the Delta Center, which opened in 1991. but the team's future in Salt Lake City was referenced again later in the ceremony. Salt Lake City Mayor Erin Mendenhall, who was sworn in for her second term, reiterated that the city is committed to keeping the Jazz in Utah's capital, especially as its downtown transforms.

"The Utah Jazz belong at the center of a neighborhood filled with restaurants, bars, shops and activities, one that's even easier to access by public transit, more convenient to reach by car, safer to navigate by bike or walking — and one that's alive with activity year-round," she said. "I'm deeply committed to building that neighborhood, but it's not for the NBA. It's for every resident and small business owner who will benefit from it."

She previously hinted at a possible "successor" to the Delta Center during her 2023 State of the City address, which could be located downtown or elsewhere in the city. That came a little more than a week after the Larry H. Miller Company announced it would move the Salt Lake Bees out of Smith's Ballpark in Salt Lake City to a new stadium it is building in South Jordan.

Meanwhile, downtown Salt Lake City leaders forecast the neighborhood's population to double in the coming years as more housing units of various sizes come online. They also believe its growth can transform the city back into the community it was before the rise of the suburbs.

López said she hopes to highlight these benefits if Smith is reconsidering the Delta Center.

"I'm just excited by the opportunity to showcase this really diverse neighborhood," she said. "It's something that the whole state should be proud of."

Salt Lake City isn't just thinking about the Jazz long term, though.

Mendenhall said Tuesday the city gladly accepts any interest that Major League Baseball or the National Hockey League may have in relocating or expanding into Utah. A coalition called Big League Utah, which the mayor is a part of, is working to bring an expansion MLB team to the city's forthcoming Power District just west of downtown, while Smith reportedly met with NHL leaders last year.

"We will weave them into our already growing capital city, adding the presence of more teams and fans to our community, our economy and our identity," the mayor said. "Pro sports aren't just about winning or losing, they're about connecting (and) creating common ground."

Contributing: Ryan Miller

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Carter Williams is a reporter for KSL.com. He covers Salt Lake City, statewide transportation issues, outdoors, the environment and weather. He is a graduate of Southern Utah University.

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