SANDY — The Utah Jazz are headed a bit south — at least, their practice facility is.
Smith Entertainment Group announced Tuesday plans for a new training center to be built on the east side of The Shops at South Town in Sandy.
Yep, the Utah Mammoth will soon have some neighbors.
The new Jazz facility is part of SEG’s growing sports campus, which will also include the newly opened Utah Mammoth practice facility and SEG’s corporate offices.
“The hub of innovation is around here, and a little bit more south — right here in Silicon Slopes,” Ryan Smith said. “Being close to all of that, and also having the community to be able to be around what we’re doing. This is the first major campus, I think, that will feel like this.”
Smith got a sneak peek of what the future could look like during Tuesday’s groundbreaking.
As he walked the halls of the Utah Mammoth facility, he saw Jazz guard Keyonte George and Mammoth defenseman Mikhail Sergachev spending time together.
“What a crossover that we didn’t know we needed,” he said. “I go into the eating area and all the hoops players and the hockey players are together.”
Jazz president of basketball operations Austin Ainge said one of the pieces that will be included in the facility will be a place for those types of interactions. Each team will have its own space — its own weight room, training areas, kitchens, etc. — but the organization wants a gathering area for both teams to interact.
“We’re going to work on a place where the hockey players and the basketball players can congregate and hang out,” Ainge said. “I don’t know exactly if we’re decided yet, but probably play some ping pong, watch TV.”
As for the new Jazz facility itself, it will feature two basketball courts, a team locker room, workout and training spaces, a performance kitchen, and “amenities designed to foster player development and team connectivity.”
Given how the Utah Mammoth facility turned out, expect plenty of bells and whistles here, too.
“If this isn’t an upgrade, we’ve done something wrong,” Smith said. “This will be one of the top facilities in the entire sports world.”
He compared the future campus to the Real Madrid training facility.
As far as amenities go, though, it will be tough to truly upgrade from the Jazz’s current setup at the Zions Bank Basketball Campus. That facility, located off I-15 in Salt Lake City, underwent a major renovation in 2017, doubling in size and becoming one of the premier practice facilities in the NBA.
Rendering of new Jazz practice facility. (Photo: Courtesy of Utah Jazz)
But the new Sandy facility will be bigger, with room to expand as needed. It also comes with the added benefit that SEG owns the South Towne Mall; it does not own the ZBBC.
“Our facility is pretty nice as it is — I think this will be a whole other level,” Ainge said. “We have more space. We’re going to have bigger weight rooms. All the stuff we have, we’ll have bigger and better of, so it’ll be better in every way.”
So, when will the Jazz get to move into their new home?
Smith expects the project to be completed within two years; although it is unlikely to be finished in time for the start of the 2026-27 season.
“We’ll be moving as fast as we can,” he said. “Even under two years is pretty fast. My guess is it’s in the teens of months.”
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