SANDY, Utah — The Utah Jazz are getting a new home for their off-court operations. On Tuesday morning, the Smith Entertainment Group (SEG) officially announced plans to construct a brand-new practice facility at The Shops at South Town in Sandy, marking a major shift for the NBA franchise’s training and operations base.
The announcement comes nearly a year after SEG finalized a long-term agreement to keep both the Utah Jazz and the Utah Mammoth (the state’s professional hockey team) playing their home games at the Delta Center in downtown Salt Lake City.
A New Sports Hub in Sandy
The new facility will be located on the east side of The Shops at South Town, adjacent to the Mammoth’s upcoming facility. It’s part of SEG’s larger vision to create an interconnected sports and entertainment hub in the Silicon Slopes corridor.
“The hub of innovation is around here — and a little bit more south, right here in Silicon Slopes,” said Ryan Smith, owner of SEG and the Utah Jazz. “Being close to all of that, and also having the community nearby, makes this the first major campus that truly feels connected.”
Construction is slated to begin this fall, with Smith estimating completion in under two years. However, the project will likely not be finished in time for the 2026–27 NBA season.
From Salt Lake City to Sandy
The Jazz currently practice at the Zions Bank Basketball Campus on 500 West in Salt Lake City, a facility that underwent renovation in 2017. However, SEG does not own that property. The move to Sandy will allow the organization to operate from land it controls — a 111-acre site purchased last year by SEG.
The new facility will include many of the same amenities as the current one:
- Two full-size basketball courts
- Locker rooms
- Workout and strength-training spaces
- Player kitchen and nutrition areas
- Sports science and rehab zones
SEG will also relocate its corporate offices to Sandy, creating a central headquarters for its sports ventures.
“The current spot is great,” Smith said, “but if this isn’t an upgrade, we’ve done something wrong. This will be one of the top facilities in the entire sports world.”
Design and Development
The facility’s design is being developed with input from newly appointed President of Basketball Operations Austin Ainge and head coach Will Hardy. Both have emphasized a focus on sports science, player recovery, and collaboration between basketball and hockey operations.
“We’re trying to think through the flow,” Ainge explained. “We want a space where the hockey players and basketball players can cross paths, hang out, and learn from each other.”
SEG has partnered with Babcock Design, Okland Construction, and Ezra Lee Design + Build for the architecture and construction work.
Impact on Players and Community
The move south may also influence where Jazz players live. “Players want to live within a half hour of where they work,” Ainge said. “We already have guys in Sandy and Draper, and I wouldn’t be surprised if more move down here once the facility opens.”
Despite relocating the team’s training base, SEG will maintain its sponsorship agreement with Zions Bank, including naming rights for the Salt Lake City facility. The new Sandy complex’s name has not yet been announced.
Ryan Smith and the Jazz organization see the Sandy expansion as a long-term investment — not just in facilities, but in Utah’s sports and innovation future.
