Utah Jazz Owner Seeks 99-Year Lease, Public Funds for Salt Lake City Entertainment District

May 4, 2024, 05:02 PM

Ryan Smith, owner of the Utah Jazz, is seeking significant public funding and control over three downtown blocks in Salt Lake City to establish a new entertainment district. The proposal includes a 99-year lease, demands for tax increment financing, and $54 million/year for 30 years in sales tax. Smith's ambitious plan also involves constructing facilities with unlimited building heights and includes a heliport. The entertainment district, expanding to two additional blocks directly east of the Delta Center, is intended to be the new home for both the Utah Jazz and a forthcoming NHL team, revitalizing the area around the Delta Center.