Sports Salt Lake

During this last month, the Utah Hockey Club broke ground on their new, state-of-the-art training facility. This 111-acre site will house the new twin-ice sheets. The facility sits about 20 minutes south of Salt Lake and will revamp the Sandy South Town Mall. 

Sports Salt Lake for the first time, took on the role of the LOC for US Youth Soccer’s – Far West President’s Cup. Over 130 teams from around the US gathered at the Salt Lake City Regional Athletic Complex. From Hawaii to Montana, to California and Arizona, teams were able to soak up the Mountain West views and work on qualifying for Nationals.

Salt Lake City is thrilled to host the 2034 Winter Games. As previous hosts of the 2002 Winter Olympic Games, Salt Lake is ready to open the door once again to the international sports stage. The 2034 Winter Games will be one of the most sustainable ever, with no new permanent venues to be constructed. The continued use and maintenance of venues from 2002 has enriches the surrounding areas and communities.  

The hockey scene is truly buzzing now that Utah’s NHL team is officially home. This milestone has sparked a renewed passion for the sport, drawing attention from fans and players alike. The Delta Center, which hosts Utah’s NBA team the Utah Jazz, will now also host Utah’s NHL team. While there are still no confirmed plans of the updates that will come to Salt Lake’s Downtown District, the Smith Entertainment Group (SEG) has expressed plans to make significant improvements and updates to the City’s Center and the surrounding blocks.

USA Volleyball saw remarkable growth during their 2024 Salt Lake Showdown from April 5th-15th. During the two weekends, the event boasted 31,000 attendees and 1,100 teams. This resulted in 70 hotels booked, 30,000 room nights, and $14 million direct impact.

Salt Lake is quickly becoming the place where many professional expansions are at the forefront of conversations.

Salt Lake City is set to embrace the exhilarating spectacle of the NCAA March Madness, transforming the Delta Center and the University of Utah’s Huntsman Center into epicenters of basketball fervor. The single-elimination tournament is poised to enrapture the city, creating an extraordinary buzz that will resonate through every corner.

Salt Lake City will be the fourth franchise home for League One Volleyball (LOVB). LOVB is reinventing pro women’s volleyball athletics. One of their major goals is to keep top-performing volleyball players here in the United States rather than moving to other parts of the world. Utah attracts a lot of volleyball tournaments and games due to the large college teams, local clubs, and frequent host of tournaments. And with the recent partnership of USA Volleyball, LOVB is turning pro volleyball here in the US a reality.

This past month, the Salt Lake Bees’ broke ground on their new “Hive”. The 7,500-seat capacity stadium will house the Angels’ Triple-A minor league club. This will be part of the first phase of South Jordan’s Daybreak community, including new mixed-use development and a sports and entertainment plaza. The stadium is scheduled to open in 2025.

The Fullmer Legacy Center broke ground on their new facility this last month. Wanting to continue what his family started, Larry Fullmer, who is the President of The Rocky Mountain Golden Gloves and the Treasurer of The Golden Gloves of America said, “The facility will allow them to continue their free gym for youth and have programs for competitive and amateur boxers to take fitness classes and competitions.” The Facility is expected to be completed fall 2024.

Salt Lake City has been awarded by SportsTravel as the Best Sports Host City. Jason Gewirtz, Vice President of the Sports Division of Northstar Travel Group said, “The SportsTravel Awards recognize the stars of the sports-event industry”. In 2023, Salt Lake welcomed the 2023 NBA All-Star Weekend, NCAA Women’s 1st and 2nd rounds, USA vs Stade Toulosain Rugby, and many other events. In 2022, Sports Salt Lake welcomed over 50 events to the area, and in 2023, over 70 events.

Visit Salt Lake has recently been accredited as a Certified Autism Center™ (CAC) by IBBCES. A CAC is an organization where at least 80% of its staff is highly trained, fully equipped, and certified in the field of autism. Evan Bauerle from Sports Salt Lake stated, “As a parent of a child with Autism, having Visit Salt Lake become a Certified Autism Center was the first step in creating an inclusive environment for locals and incoming visitors with neurodiverse family members. The sad truth is that autistic and sensory-sensitive individuals have limited destinations with accessible spaces and services that can provide a comfortable experience. By deepening our team’s knowledge around sensory challenges, we can better equip ourselves to foster a community where every individual, regardless of their differences, can look forward to visiting our sensory-friendly city.”

Salt Lake was proud to host The ESPORTS Global Invitational in the Halo Championship Series from August 4 and August 6. It was the third-most-watched event in the discipline this year, in person and through many streaming services. Learn more here!

USA Volleyball is set to return to Salt Lake City for major events in 2022.

The torch is lit, and the games are on. But, before the Team USA athletes boarded their flights to Tokyo, they spent years training for the pinnacle of their careers.

Salt Lake City and its surrounding valley regions are quickly growing as a national leader in sports tourism. As a past and possible future Winter Olympics host, Salt Lake knows what it takes to host sports events on a global and local scale.