SALT LAKE CITY – Hours before dropping the puck at Delta Center for Utah Hockey Club’s first game in the Beehive State, owner Ryan Smith announced Delta Center will be the home of Olympic hockey when the Winter Olympics return to Utah in 2034.
Ryan Smith expects Olympic hockey At Delta Center in 2034
Oct 8, 2024, 4:00 PM | Updated: Oct 9, 2024, 12:58 pm
The main entrance of the Delta Center is seen with the "NHL in Utah" logos on April 19, 2024 in Salt Lake City, Utah. The NHL has allowed the sale of the Arizona Coyotes and the team will relocate to Salt Lake City, Utah. (Photo by Chris Gardner/Getty Images)
(Photo by Chris Gardner/Getty Images)
“With the Olympics coming, this will be the hockey venue,” Smith told assembled media. “Sorry, I’m telling that right now. You can’t have the NHL and not have the hockey.”
UHC opens its inaugural season in Utah by hosting the Chicago Blackhawks at Delta Center on Tuesday, October 8.
History of Delta Center
Opened in the spring of 1991, Delta Center was built as the primary home of the Utah Jazz. In 33 years, Delta Center has hosted two NBA Finals, two NBA All-Star Weekends, and numerous concerts. The Delta Center has hosted arena football, ice hockey, speed skating, figure skating, and UFC. Along with the Jazz and UHC, many teams have called Delta Center home. These include Salt Lake Golden Eagles (IHL), Utah Grizzlies (IHL), Utah Starzz (WNBA), and Utah Blaze (AFL).
The arena’s design and 18,000+ seating capacity for basketball have made it one of the more intimidating home arenas in the NBA.
The arena underwent $125 million worth of renovations in 2016-17, including state-of-the-art video boards, club seating, and other fan improvements. The Delta Center will undergo further renovations over the next two seasons.
NHL commissioner Gary Bettman has said the future Delta Center improvements will increase unobstructed hockey seating from 12,000 to 17,000.
Delta Center Renovations
“Over the past five months, Level 1 of Delta Center underwent significant renovations. [These include] new family hospitality areas and a dedicated locker room for the Utah Hockey Club. [There’s] an updated Jazz locker room [as well as] newly configured NBA and NHL visiting locker rooms,” Smith Entertainment Group wrote in a press release in September.
Read the full story at kslsports.com.
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