What would a Major League Baseball team bring to Salt Lake City and you?
“We have a generational opportunity to invest in the west side and to connect our city in a positive way.”
– Steve Starks
In a recent article from the Salt Lake Tribune, Gordon Monson gave an update on Big League Utah’s efforts to bring Major League Baseball to Salt Lake City.
Monson writes that Big League Utah – spearheaded by the Larry H. Miller Company and the Miller family – conducted a statewide market survey gauging community interest in bringing MLB to SLC. The results were overwhelmingly positive, with 90% of community members supporting an MLB team making its home in the Beehive state. On the heels of those findings, new renderings of the ballpark and its surrounding development are soon to be released.
The proposed development is expected to boost Salt Lake City’s economy, social connection and sense of community. In addition to the MLB stadium, the planned development will include retail, restaurants, entertainment, housing, and more.
Steve Starks, CEO of the Larry H. Miller Company and head of the Big League Utah Coalition, said, “We have a generational opportunity to invest in the west side and to connect our city in a positive way. It wouldn’t solve every problem, but if our community can imagine it, can lean into it, if it rallies, it will see what’s possible in that space in the Power District.”
The Miller family, who has decades of experience owning and managing professional sports teams in Utah, is integral to making this happen, and they are passionate about bringing an MLB team to Salt Lake City. Their involvement in the project is seen as a significant factor in the awarding of an expansion team. In addition, the coalition is confident in the strength of the market, Utah’s population growth, the state of the local economy, and the support of government leaders and residents.
If Salt Lake City is selected as an expansion location by MLB, Monson hints at its potential to become a catalyst to the community, much like other professional sports teams in the state and the upcoming 2034 Olympic Games.
Read the full article by Gordon Monson on SLTrib.com