Karns, Utah (ABC4) — The Utah Hockey Club will find a temporary home in Kearns as Smith Entertainment Group begins renovations. Utah Olympic Oval Transform the space into a “state-of-the-art” practice facility.
Smith Entertainment Group said it will donate “millions of dollars” to the facility, which it said will be prepared to temporarily house a professional hockey team. The Utah Hockey Club will practice and train at the Utah Olympic Oval until a more permanent training facility is completed. Built in the Southtown Shops In Sandy.
Located 16 miles west of Salt Lake City, the Utah Olympic Oval was originally built in 2001 as the site of the 2002 Winter Olympics. It now hosts a variety of sports programs, including public skating, hockey, speed skating, figure skating, and curling.
The renovations include adapting one of the facility's ice sheets to NHL regulations, building an NHL locker room and training and treatment facility, and adding offices for Utah Hockey Club coaches and staff.
“We are excited to partner with the Utah Olympic Legacy Foundation to provide our players and staff with access to world-class practice facilities at the Olympic Oval facility for our inaugural season,” said Chris Armstrong, Utah Hockey Club director of hockey operations.
Armstrong said the partnership with Utah Olympic Oval will not only create a solid foundation for the new franchise, but will also benefit the local hockey community. Once the Utah Hockey Club relocates from Utah Olympic Oval, the upgrades will be available to serve youth and Olympians training in hockey and skating programs for years to come.
“Welcoming the Utah Hockey Club to the Utah Olympic Oval is another shining example of how our Olympic Heritage commitment helps develop athletes at all levels, from youth beginners to world-class athletes,” said Collin Hilton, president and CEO of the Utah Olympic Heritage Foundation, which oversees the facility's operations. “We look forward to partnering with the Utah Hockey Club to create a comprehensive training facility for their players and staff.”
Utah Hockey Club Debut Scheduled The team will be the NHL's newest franchise in the 2024-25 season, with regular season games played at the Delta Center in downtown Salt Lake City.
