The family’s decision to sell the Jazz came as a shock to many. Their choice to get back into major league sports may be less surprising.

In 2020, the Miller family sold what some thought it’d never sell—the Jazz— for a reported $1.66 billion, and the next year their car dealerships also for more than $3 billion, looking for business opportunities elsewhere. They sensed a vulnerability in those endeavors and sought to diversify the company into a broader base of ventures, including the major acquisition and development of real estate, diving into such projects as Downtown Daybreak, healthcare, and now the Power District and are in the throes of working to own and operate a Major League Baseball team right here in Salt Lake City.

Baseball, the Major League variety, is in a lot of Utahns’ hearts these days, eager as fans are to discover if Salt Lake will be picked for expansion, as one of a select handful of cities under serious consideration. MLB expansion hasn’t happened for a quarter of a century, and in that time, Utah’s capital city has grown up and out and all about. At the center of those possibilities are the Millers, former owners of the Utah Jazz, and the familial and financial engine powering a bid for inclusion at the top level of the national pastime.

The late Larry H. Miller was an avid softball player. His family says his love of the diamond has played a role in their decision to pursue a Major League Baseball franchise in Salt Lake City.

Read the full story by Gordon Monson at sltrib.com.

LHM will invest $3.5+ billion in the project to serve as an economic and cultural catalyst for SLC’s westside

The Power District is a transformational private/public partnership in Utah’s State Fairpark and the Jordan River 

The nearly 100-acre development features unprecedented transportation access, amenities and 365-day activation

The Power District is the ideal location for a potential MLB ballpark

Larry H. Miller Company (LHM Company) and Miller family unveiled renderings, videos and statewide support for a transformational investment and catalytic development in Utah’s capital city. 

The Power District, a nearly 100-acre site adjacent to the Utah State Fairpark and the Jordan River, features unprecedented transportation access ideally located between the Salt Lake City International Airport and downtown. The project will serve as an economic and cultural catalyst for the state and the westside community. 

“We are passionate about this once-in-a-generation opportunity to invest in our capital city,” said Steve Starks, CEO of the LHM Company. “This project will serve as a vibrant extension of and gateway to downtown Salt Lake, complements the mission of the State Fairpark, and brings the Jordan River to life. The Power District will be a gathering place for Utah’s families to live, work, play and enjoy the best views in Major League Baseball.” 

The Power District development vision includes the Utah State Fairpark and improvements to the Jordan River. The LHM Company is working closely with the Utah State Fairpark board, Salt Lake City, the Jordan River Commission, and state leaders to incorporate various community master and land-use plans into the development framework. Larry H. Miller Real Estate, with its award-winning community design team, is collaborating with Boston-based Sasaki, an internationally recognized urban planning and community design firm to develop this best-in-class placemaking vision. The LHM Company is working with westside community leaders and will continue to engage with key stakeholders and neighbors as plans develop.

The project is a historic development opportunity to create a modern, sustainable, and vibrant space for businesses, residents, and visitors alike. It will feature views of the downtown skyline and the pristine Wasatch Mountains and is readily accessible from I-80, I-215, I-15 and TRAX. The Power District also serves as an ideal, shovel-ready site for an MLB ballpark.

“The Power District is an investment in human capital and will bring infrastructure and economic and educational development opportunities to the area,” said Steve Miller, board chair of the LHM Company. “Our family is committed to this project and is humbled by the rallying of community support around this initiative. We are invested in this area because we believe in creating enriching experiences.”

The planned, multi-function, mixed-use development will feature abundant green space and trails, a beautified Jordan River walk, innovative residential options, majestic views, a focus on local dining and retail, and a potential Major League ballpark. It will be walkable, bikeable, and transit connected.

“The partnership between the Power District and the Utah State Fairpark will create economic development and allow investment in Fairpark infrastructure,” said Larry Mullenax, executive director of the Utah State Fairpark. “This development continues the State Fairpark’s position as a self-sustaining state asset.” 

Development at the Power District is scheduled to begin in late 2024 with the construction of the new headquarters for Rocky Mountain Power.

Statewide Community Support

“The westside is primed for this new development. I grew up on the westside, and the people who live here are very proud of their community and what they’ve built. We are excited to continue to partner with them on future opportunities.” – Gail Miller, co-founder, The Larry H. Miller Company

“My parents, Larry and Gail Miller, grew up on the westside and were proud to be part of that community. We now have a multi-generational opportunity to take all the great things about that community, add resources to it and create something special.” – Greg Miller, vice board chair, The Larry H. Miller Company 

“The westside is a gathering place for so many people and an opportunity to be a showcase as people are visiting our state for the first time to see this incredible development as well as potentially Major League Baseball sitting right there welcoming people into the capital city.” – Utah Governor Spencer J. Cox

“Utah has an excellent economy and regulatory policies. People love living here because of the quality of life. The Power District is a great location for Major League Baseball and will lift the westside and the entire state of Utah.” – Senate President Stuart J. Adams

“I can’t tell you how excited I am for the opportunity that the state has, and the city has, to revitalize the Power District area. We’ve spent a lot of time and effort on the westside in the Northwest Quadrant of the state. It’s the gateway to Salt Lake City and downtown.” – House Speaker Mike Schultz

“One of the beauties along the North Temple Corridor is the vibrancy and diversity of cultures. This generational investment will make a huge difference for the whole state of Utah. It truly reflects the changing demographics of our state.” – State Senator Luz Escamilla

“Incorporating a vision between the Power District and the State Fairpark will create an amenity that people will treasure. To have such a project that has a river running through it is an opportunity to use and protect water. A Jordan River Walk is an incredible draw and attraction.” – State Senator Scott Sandall, Utah State Fairpark Board Member

“We’re going to be able to use the Utah State Fairpark year-round as a complement to what’s going on in the area. This is an opportunity to share parking, facilities and venues for concerts, shopping and entertainment. It’s the perfect location for a ballpark.” – State Senator Lincoln Fillmore 

“This project is going to set the entire community in a new direction. It is going to provide us an opportunity for economic development, infrastructure development, and educational development. It will be a game changer for our community.” – State Representative Sandra Hollins

“This has the potential to preserve and enhance the westside community. This is a generational project that lifts all boats in the state. It will help that neighborhood and the folks who live there.” – State Representative Ryan Wilcox 

“I appreciate the focus that the Millers and the Power District have on facing the Jordan River, not turning their backs on it. Bringing the Jordan River into the Power District experience will be an incredible, fascinating, beautiful asset for Salt Lake City and beyond.” – Salt Lake City Mayor Erin Mendenhall

“If we do this right, it catalyzes what’s already happening on the West Side. This historic project will allow our culture and unique qualities to shine, while creating new infrastructure and business opportunities.” – Salt Lake City Councilmember Victoria Petro

“Utah’s economy thrives when it has a strong center.  Economies have a heart – they have a gathering place.  These centers include professional sports. If you have a vibrant center, it actually helps the regional economy statewide.” – Natalie Gochnour, director, Kem C. Gardner Institute

“The location of the Power District and the potential ballpark are catalytic opportunities for the westside community. This project is focused on doing things the right way and is involving the community and key stakeholders.” – Derek Miller, president and CEO, Salt Lake Chamber

Supporters of bringing big league baseball say ballpark could host football games, concerts, rodeo

In 2016, Fenway Park built a 140-foot jump in centerfield sloping down to home plate for a ski and snowboard big air contest. In 2019, SunTrust Park (now Truist Field) brought in 800,000 tons of artificial snow for another big air competition in — wait for it — Atlanta.

Just last month, Petco Park in downtown San Diego hosted its first rodeo.

Baseball ballparks aren’t just for baseball anymore.

Backers of an effort to bring a Major League Baseball team to Salt Lake City envision a ballpark hosting much more than 81 regular-season home games. A new ballpark would be a year-round, multiuse venue for all kinds of events from sports to concerts to community celebrations.

“Utah attracts a wide variety of sports and entertainment events throughout the year. The addition of a world-class MLB ballpark would enhance our ability to attract more key events to the state,” said Jeff Robbins, Utah Sports Commission president and CEO.

Those opportunities would strengthen its reputation as being the “State of Sport” and a year-round destination for major sports events, he said.

The Larry H. Miller Company is pursuing a major league expansion team and has targeted a 100-acre site in the Power District on the city’s westside to build a mixed-used development, including a ballpark. A group called Big League Utah, made up of prominent state, community and business leaders, is supporting the endeavor.

So far, the company has only shared general details about the project.

The coalition points to Truist Park in Atlanta and the adjacent The Battery Atlanta, a mixed-use development and entertainment district, as the blueprint for what they picture in Utah. It would sit between the Salt Lake City International Airport and downtown and is bordered by I-80 and a light rail, as well as the Utah State Fairpark and Jordan River. 

Steve Starks, Miller Company CEO, said an MLB ballpark on the westside would be a community asset for all Utahns.

“Not only would we watch the best players in baseball, but our ballpark would be a multi-use facility, attracting year-round programming of events to the Power District,” he said. “Other MLB ballparks regularly host concerts and shows, other high school, college and professional sports, and special events for a variety of activities.”

Construction of a major league park and entertainment district would almost certainly include some public investment for what could be a billion-dollar project. Utah government leaders are averse to diverting taxpayer dollars directly but have acknowledged tax increment financing or a public-private partnership could be options.

Going for the gold

With Utah as the preferred host of the 2034 Winter Games, Big League Utah also touts a ballpark as an Olympic venue. A baseball ballpark could serve as a site for nightly medals presentations and concerts as well as for big air snowboarding competition, which was added to the Olympics in 2018.

“A new Major League Baseball ballpark will provide not only a baseball ballpark but a multipurpose venue for the burgeoning sport and entertainment landscape year round here in Utah, including potential venue options for the 2034 Olympic and Paralympic Winter Games,” said Fraser Bullock, CEO of the Salt Lake City-Utah Committee for the Games.

Bullock earlier told the Deseret News that most Olympic venues, largely those used in 2002, are locked for a future Winter Games in Utah. “But we have many other choices for things like the medals plaza and big air, depending on the circumstances,” he said.

Putting it on ice

Speaking of winter sports, one of the most popular events each season is an outdoor hockey game in January — usually around New Year’s Day — known as the NHL Winter Classic. 

The game has been played 15 times, nine of those in baseball ballparks. Average attendance has been 42,464 in Seattle, Minneapolis, Chicago, Philadelphia, Washington, D.C., St. Louis, New York and Boston (twice). The game will return to Wrigley Field in Chicago next year.

And who knows, maybe Utah’s hometown team — should the NHL skate into the state — could play in the game someday. 

Utah Jazz owner Ryan Smith has designs on an NHL expansion team. There are also rumblings about the struggling Arizona Coyotes possibly finding their way to Salt Lake City.

College bowl

In recent years, college football has also found its way into major league ballparks.

In 2023, bowl games were held in ballparks in Phoenix, Boston, San Diego and New York (Yankee Ballpark). Also last year, Northwestern played Iowa in a regular season game at Wrigley Field. South Dakota State met Drake in a game at Target Field, home of the Minnesota Twins. In 2017, the Atlanta Braves’ ballpark went from diamond to gridiron for a Kennesaw State-Jacksonville (Alabama) State football game.

Globe Life Field, where the Texas Rangers play, has been the site of high school football games. 

Let the music ring

Perhaps one of the most iconic rock concerts of all time took place in a baseball ballpark. The Beatles’ performance at Shea Ballpark in New York in 1965 was a milestone in music history. 

Since then, all kinds of bands and artists have taken the stage in a ballpark. Most MLB parks bring in multiple, stand-alone concerts in an amphitheater-style venue each year.

San Diego’s Petco Park has 11 concerts on the calendar in 2024, including shows by Chris Stapleton, Billy Joel and Riley Green, while Fenway Park has booked nine, including Kane Brown, Foo Fighters and blink-182. Pink will perform at Dodger Ballpark this year. 

In San Francisco, the Giants’ Oracle Park is currently hosting Cirque du Soleil: Kooza.

Ride ‘em cowboy

Petco Park last month also held the inaugural San Diego Rodeo in partnership with the San Diego Padres. The three-day event included a sold-out Saturday night of cowboy and cowgirl activities. The ballpark was reconfigured for the event, with the baseball infield becoming the arena.

In 2020, the Texas Rangers’ ballpark hosted the National Finals Rodeo, the equivalent of the World Series for the Professional Rodeo Cowboys Association. 

With the amenities that a major league baseball ballpark offers, other possible uses include Utah high school championships and other professional sports, daytime events before night ballgames, corporate conferences, graduation ceremonies, holiday lights celebrations and charity fundraisers.

Read the article by Dennis Romboy on the DesNews.com

Things are changing just west of downtown Salt Lake City. As new housing units and businesses take shape on North Temple, greater plans are in the works that would give the area an entirely new look.

Late last year, Rocky Mountain Power and the Larry H. Miller company announced plans to redevelop 100 acres of land known as the Power District. The area stretches from Redwood Road to the Jordan River and would be anchored by a Major League Baseball stadium.

However, construction could mean big changes for local businesses.

“The community love us around this area,” said Paramjit Kaur, owner of Star of India restaurant.

The restaurant has operated for 33 years in various locations around Salt Lake City. The last eight years have been on the corner of Redwood and North Temple.

“North Temple changed a lot,” Kaur said. “Where we started from, it was empty. Eight years ago, it was nothing. It was empty. Now it’s just building after building and it has become a really good location for us.”

Star of India has a front row seat to North Temple’s evolution.

“It’s grown in good ways,” Kaur said.

If construction crews move in, more changes could be coming.

City leaders are working with developers to be advocates for North Temple community members.

“It has the chance, if done correctly, to be a catalytic project,” said Victoria Petro, the city councilmember who represents the northwest quadrant of Salt Lake City.

Petro is a member of the Big League Utah advisory board — a group of local, state, and business leaders sharing their expertise and expectations for the development. She is working to make sure those who invested in North Temple long ago benefit from the development.

“The excitement for me goes everywhere, including making sure Param at Star of India has a permanent location and thrives beyond the success she’s had now,” Petro said. “All the way through to hoping to see the kids in my neighborhood who play at Rose Park Baseball be bat boys one day.”

Petro is encouraged by the willingness of developers to seek community input.

In a statement provided to FOX13 News, a spokesperson for the Larry H. Miller company said they are “excited to work with our westside partners, the State of Utah and Salt Lake City to create a unified vision and catalytic master plan for the Power District, the front door to our Capitol City. We want to build on the culture and vibrancy of this community to design a statewide amenity that is the preferred site for an MLB expansion team. Local businesses are the foundation to, and around, the Power District and we continue to meet with our neighbors to better understand their business plans as we invest in human capital and economic opportunities in the area.”

Major changes could be months or years away. While the future can be uncertain, Kaur is confident the future is bright. In the past 33 years, the restaurant has survived moves and challenges like the COVD-19 pandemic, but one constant keeps customers coming back.

“If you have the food, they will come to you no matter what,” she said. “Food and service makes a huge difference.”

Read the article on Fox13now.com

Resolution says baseball would be economic, cultural boon to Salt Lake City and the state.

John Kinsella might take issue with an assertion Utah lawmakers make in a resolution supporting efforts to bring a Major League Baseball team to Salt Lake City. 

As the ghost of John Kinsella and Ray Kinsella stroll across the diamond in the iconic “Field of Dreams” father-son catch scene, John asks, “Is this heaven?” Ray replies, “It’s Iowa.” To which John responds, “Iowa? … Could have sworn it was heaven.”

In the resolution that the state Legislature will consider in its upcoming session, the second line reads, “WHEREAS, heaven isn’t in Iowa, but in Utah … “

OK. Maybe we can excuse what some might find blasphemous. Legislators are apparently a little giddy about the prospect of baseball in Utah. The document goes on to list dozens of reasons why Salt Lake City is an ideal location for a big league team.

The Larry H. Miller Company is heading an effort to land an expansion franchise for the city. Big League Utah, a group of prominent business leaders, politicians and former professional athletes, is backing the endeavor. It has identified a site for a stadium in the Power District on the west side of the city.

A Deseret News/Hinckley Institute of Politics poll found an overwhelming majority of Utahns want to see a major league team in Salt Lake City.

“Utah has the ingredients for an MLB team, including a ready market, a proven and focused ownership group, a shovel-ready site at the Power District, and a bipartisan coalition,” Gov. Spencer Cox has said.

The resolution recognizes that Utah is one of the fastest-growing states and has the “strongest economy” in the country. It highlights the state’s many tourist attractions, ability to host worldwide events such as the 2002 Olympics and Paralympic Winter Games and the success of the Utah Jazz and Real Salt Lake. It also touts Utah’s long tradition of minor league baseball dating back to the early 1900s, with teams using several names, including Elders, Bees, Giants, Angels, Occidentals, Gulls, Trappers, Buzz and Stingers.

In the resolution, lawmakers say the big league club would be an economic and cultural boon to Salt Lake City and the entire state. Seeing the plan through would increase revenue and state funds for public education and other programs. 

The document concludes with a ubiquitous catchphrase from another baseball movie, “The Sandlot,” which was filmed in Utah.

“NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED that the Legislature of the state of Utah, with the Governor concurring therein, supports the efforts of Big League Utah in the pursuit of bringing Major League Baseball to the great state of Utah.

“BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the only appropriate response to the suggestion that another city or state is better prepared than Salt Lake City and the state of Utah for Major League expansion is: ‘You’re killin’ me, Smalls!’”

Who knows? Maybe John Kinsella might someday have a catch in Utah’s own field of dreams.

Read the article by Dennis Romboy in the Deseret News

Kicking off the new year, Brian Preece of KSL Sports recapped his most important Utah sports stories of 2023. Headlines ranging from basketball to rugby to baseball illustrated a shifting sports landscape in the Beehive State.  

Notably, the Larry H. Miller Company played a pivotal role in multiple referenced developments.  

The digital producer began by mentioning the launch of Big League Utah. He recalled attending the groundbreaking event in April, where hundreds gathered for an “announcement that shook the foundation of what many thought possible in Utah.”  

Additionally, Preece referenced the announcement that the Larry H. Miller Company is building a brand-new ballpark for the Salt Lake Bees in Daybreak, Utah. The Bees broke ground on the site in October, where officials named America First Credit Union as the official partner for the ballpark.   

For the full story, check out “In My Eyes: Utah Sports Stories that Mattered in 2023” by Brian Preece on KSL Sports.

On Wednesday, December 20, Steve Starks, CEO of the Larry H. Miller Company, joined DJ and PK on KSL Sports Zone to discuss the steps that Big League Utah is taking to position the Beehive State as the “Future of America’s Pastime.”

Starks explained that since Big League Utah launched last summer, Salt Lake City has entered the national radar as one of the strongest potential expansion markets. He detailed the coalition’s compelling pitch, backed by an experienced ownership group with a targeted shovel-ready site for a proposed ballpark.

“The Power District is the most accessible site on the market,” noted Starks. “You could fly into the airport and, in five minutes, be at the ballpark to go watch a game. Then, hopefully, you spend the night in Salt Lake City before going to the National Parks in the summer. It becomes part of our tourism ecosystem.”

Ahead of the interview, Big League Utah announced the creation of honorary and community advisory boards comprised of respected political and community leaders to help advance the multi-faceted campaign. Briefly introducing the new sectors, Starks illustrated the overwhelming public support for the initiative.

“We have a community that loves sports and, in particular, loves baseball,” he explained. “Today’s announcement speaks to broad community support from political leaders to everyday Utahns united behind the Power District as the ideal site to build a Major League Baseball stadium.”

Visit KSL Sports Zone for the full interview.

“Utah has the ingredients for an MLB team, including a ready market, a proven and focused ownership group, a shovel-ready site at the Power District, and a bi-partisan coalition.”
– Gov. Spencer Cox

Big League Utah, the broad-based coalition united to position Salt Lake City, Utah as a Major League Baseball (MLB) expansion market, announced the creation of honorary and community advisory boards. Board members’ expertise and commitment to Utah’s success will help advance the multi-faceted campaign and focused efforts. 

The honorary advisory board is comprised of Gail Miller, co-founder and owner of the Larry H. Miller Company, and local elected leaders, including Governor Spencer J. Cox; Senate President J. Stuart Adams; House Speaker Mike Schultz; Utah State Senator Luz Escamilla; Utah State Senator Lincoln Fillmore; Utah State Representative Sandra Hollins; Utah State Representative Ryan D. Wilcox; Salt Lake City Mayor Erin Mendenhall; Salt Lake City Councilmember Victoria Petro; former Congressman and former Utah House Speaker Rob Bishop; Point of the Mountain State Land Authority Board Co-Chair and former member of the Utah State House of Representatives Lowry Snow.

The community advisory board includes Steve Miller, Chair, the Larry H. Miller Company; Greg Miller, Vice Chair, the Larry H. Miller Company; Steve Starks, CEO, the Larry H. Miller Company; Scott Anderson, President and CEO, Zions Bank; Dave Checketts, businessman and sports executive; Spencer P. Eccles, Co-Founder and Managing Partner, The Cynosure Group; Maria Garciaz, CEO, NeighborWorks Salt Lake; Kem Gardner, CEO, Gardner Companies; Natalie Gochnour, Executive Director, the Kem C. Gardner Policy Institute; Gary Hoogeveen, President and CEO, Rocky Mountain Power; David Huntsman, President and COO, Huntsman Foundation; Jim Laub, President and CEO, Cache Valley Electric, Derek Miller, President and CEO, Salt Lake Chamber; Todd Pedersen, Founder, Vivint Smart Home and businessman; Thayne Shaffer, President and CEO, America First Credit Union; Dr. Sidni Shorter, President and CEO, Utah Black Chamber; and Spencer Zwick, Co-Founder and Managing Partner, Solamere Capital.

“We have an exceptional ownership group, a shovel ready ballpark site, overwhelming community support in a strong growth market for MLB. We know this could be a multi-year effort, but we’re off to a great start and are encouraged that so many are seeing Salt Lake City as a major league market,” said Starks. “Like securing the return of the Winter Olympic Games, these big-vision projects don’t happen without close collaboration and teamwork—hallmarks of our community.”

The Power District is an approximately 100-acre, shovel-ready site in the heart of Salt Lake City’s west side. The site features views of the downtown skyline and pristine Wasatch Mountains. It is ideally located between the Salt Lake International Airport and downtown Salt Lake City and is bordered by Interstate-80 and light rail, as well as the Utah State Fairpark and Jordan River. Big League Utah announced its intention to position Salt Lake City, Utah as an MLB expansion market in April 2023. 

“Our family knows the impact that sports can have on communities,” said Steve Miller. “We are particularly excited about the impact a Major League Baseball team could have on Salt Lake City’s west side. The Power District is perfectly located as a connector between people, businesses and sports in our capital city. The potential and responsibility to be a catalyst in this community belongs to all of us.”

To support these efforts and if successful in securing an MLB team, Big League Utah also announced its intention to create a team foundation to benefit west side community priorities.

“Our mission is to enrich lives and create lasting impact,” said Gail Miller. “Larry and I graduated from West High School, and I have deep affection for our friends and neighbors in this community. If we are successful in securing an expansion team, we will use this platform to support organizations and initiatives focused on the west side, its families and local businesses.

“We are grateful that Big League Utah is engaged with our community. We are eager to share our thoughts and experiences, and most of all, we are ready for Major League Baseball,” said Sen. Escamilla.

Statements from Big League Utah’s Advisory Board Members

“Utah has the ingredients for an MLB team, including a ready market, a proven and focused ownership group, a shovel-ready site at the Power District, and a bi-partisan coalition. Third-party data proves Salt Lake City and the Beehive State can absolutely support a new professional sports team.” – Utah Governor Spencer J. Cox.

“Like our pursuit of the Olympic Games, we are united in our efforts behind Big League Utah and our pursuit of an MLB expansion team. We have amazing community support and the perfect site for a stadium on Salt Lake’s west side.” – Utah State Senate President J. Stuart Adams.

“I am encouraged to have a vibrant mixed-use development in such close proximity to the Utah State Fairpark. The dedicated activation and programming of a sports and entertainment-anchored project will elevate and complement the mission and objectives of the Fairpark.” – Utah House Speaker Mike Schultz.

“Salt Lake City is on board to host a Major League Baseball team. We have a robust history of supporting professional athletics and look forward to strengthening the anchor of sports in the capital city. With this proposal, you could walk out the front doors of the airport, class at the University of Utah, or dinner on Main Street, hop on a TRAX train and be to the front doors of a future stadium within minutes.” – Salt Lake City Mayor Erin Mendenhall.

“Utah’s business community is poised to support an MLB franchise right here in Salt Lake City. Our data points to corporate enthusiasm for partnerships and season ticket purchases. A stadium, coupled with deliberate and visionary mixed-use development, will serve as an economic engine for our west side community.” – Derek Miller, President and CEO, the Salt Lake Chamber.

“We love our west side community and are eager to partner with Big League Utah and the Miller organization to envision the catalytic opportunities on our horizon.” – Maria Garciaz, CEO, NeighborWorks Salt Lake. 

“Utah is a mid-sized, high-amenity state. Our strong economy and young demographics, combined with the state’s ability to host large sporting events, like the Olympics, make us a perfect market for an MLB team. More importantly, our capital city is the essential home for professional sports, especially America’s favorite pastime.” – Natalie Gochnour, Executive Director, Kem C. Gardner Policy Institute

“When I think of baseball, I think of the Miller family. Their decades-long stewardship of professional sports teams in our capital city is unparalleled. The family’s deep roots and statewide community support are indicative of their vision for the engagement and operations of an MLB franchise.” – Scott Anderson, President and CEO, Zions Bank.

About Big League Utah
Big League Utah is a broad-based community coalition led by the Miller family and the Larry H. Miller Company. It consists of Utah’s federal, state, and local decision-makers, business and community leaders, former MLB players, and potential investors. Coalition members are united behind the effort to welcome an MLB team to Salt Lake City.

About the Larry H. Miller Company
The Miller family has a deep history of sports ownership in Utah, beginning with the purchase of the Utah Jazz in 1985. During their ownership of the Jazz, the team made 20 consecutive playoff appearances, went to two NBA finals, and had the 3rd highest winning percentage in the NBA. The Miller family also constructed the Delta Center and then led the award-winning renovation of the arena in 2017, hosted the 1993 NBA All-Star Game, and secured its return in 2023. In 2005, the Miller family followed their life-long love of baseball by purchasing the Salt Lake Bees. In 2023, they announced the construction of a new ballpark for the Bees in Downtown Daybreak in South Jordan, Utah, and announced their intent to lead the effort of securing an MLB expansion franchise. For more information, visit www.lhm.com. 

“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

KSL’s Carter Williams details the recently launched Big League Utah stadium survey.

SALT LAKE CITY — The coalition behind Utah’s attempt to bring in a Major League Baseball team launched a new online survey Tuesday, seeking more feedback on what a possible new stadium should look like if it does land a team in the near future.

The public survey seeks to collect “insights, preferences and feedback” regarding a potential team and stadium, according to Big League Utah, a coalition of prominent Utahns backing an effort for a team. It asks Utahns about their thoughts on the major leagues and about various aspects of a future team, including stadium design, seating, ticket packages, amenities and anything else that a future stadium could offer.

All of the questions about seating and pricing is hypothetical, organization officials explain. Any information gathered from the online survey, which remains open through Sept. 4, will be added to an economic feasibility study that the coalition is currently working on.

“Feedback from the community is vital to our efforts,” said Amanda Covington, spokeswoman for Big League Utah, in a statement. “We are excited to hear the community’s thoughts on bringing an MLB team to Utah.”

Big League Utah publicly launched its campaign to bring in a major league expansion team in April, announcing that they have a “preferred shovel-ready site” for a new stadium in Salt Lake City’s new Power District. If built in that spot, it would be a key feature of about 100 acres of land that Rocky Mountain Power plans to redevelop in the future.

Larry H. Miller CEO Steve Starks, who is one of the coalition’s leaders, said at the time that the group met with MLB commissioner Rob Manfred in New York City last year to discuss Utah as a future market as the league considers expanding from 30 to 32 teams.

The new survey follows focus group sessions that Big League Utah held last month that also sought feedback on the future construction of a possible ballpark.

The timeline for expansion is still vague, though. Manfred told reporters during the MLB’s All-Star break last month that the league is looking to form an expansion committee “pretty shortly” after the Oakland Athletics and Tampa Bay Rays finalize their future stadium plans; the former is all but set to relocate to Las Vegas.

Salt Lake City is one of a few U.S. cities that have expressed interest in expansion. The list also includes Nashville, Tennessee; Portland, Oregon; and Orlando, Florida among other possible landing spots for a future MLB club.

Check out the article by Carter Williams on KSL.