Delta Center (1991–2006, 2023–present) Salt Lake Ice Center (2002) EnergySolutions Arena (2006–2015) Vivint Smart Home Arena (2015–2020) Vivint Arena (2020–2023)
The Delta Center is an indoor venue in Salt Lake City. Opened in 1991, the arena is the home of the Utah Jazz of the National Basketball Association (NBA) and the Utah NHL team of the National Hockey League (NHL). Over the years, it has also hosted other professional sports teams including the Utah Blaze of the Arena Football League and the Utah Starzz of the Women's National Basketball Association (WNBA). With a seating capacity of 18,306 for basketball, 14,000 for ice hockey and indoor football, and 20,000 for concerts, the arena offers space for many kinds of events. It has 56 luxury suites and 668 club seats. During the 2002 Winter Olympics, the arena hosted figure skating and short-track speed skating competitions under the name "Salt Lake Ice Center".
History
Interior arena bowl in May 2007, before a Jazz conference finals game against the San Antonio Spurs.
The arena was originally imagined as a 20,000-seat home for the Utah Jazz and Salt Lake Golden Eagles to replace the since-demolished Salt Palace arena, which had 12,616 seats.[5] Under the leadership and private financing of Utah businessman Larry H. Miller, ground was broken on May 22, 1990, and it was completed on October 4, 1991, in time for late-October basketball games, at a cost of $93 million ($208 million in 2023 dollars).[6][2]
The first game played in the arena was a Golden Eagles game against the Peoria Rivermen on October 16, 1991, which the home team lost 4–2.[7] The Eagles had also played the inaugural game in the Salt Palace arena when it opened on October 10, 1969.[8]
The first basketball game played in the arena was a Jazz pre-season loss against Patrick Ewing and the New York Knicks, 101–95.[9]
Exterior view of arena, 2005
In addition to the Utah Jazz and Blaze, the arena was the home of the WNBA's Utah Starzz from 1997 to 2002, the Salt Lake Golden Eagles from 1991 to 1994, and the Utah Grizzlies from 1995 to 1997, both of the International Hockey League. On June 8, 1996, the Delta Center hosted what was then the largest crowd in the history of American minor league hockey: 17,381 fans attended Game 4 of the 1996 Turner Cup Finals.[10]
The arena's roof was damaged by severe winds associated with the Salt Lake City Tornado of August 11, 1999, costing $3.757 million to repair.[11]
Dan Roberts serves as the public address announcer for the Jazz. He has been the Jazz's home game announcer since before the arena was built.[12]
On April 15, 2010, over a year after the death of Jazz owner Larry H. Miller, the Jazz basketball court was named in his honor.[13]
Ryan Smith purchased the arena in December 2020 from the Miller family as part of a larger agreement including the Utah Jazz.[14]
On September 21, 2016, the Utah Jazz announced plans to renovate and upgrade the arena. The majority of the construction related to the building's renovation, which cost $125 million. The construction began at the conclusion of the 2016–17 Utah Jazz basketball season and was completed during fall 2017.[16]
After the official announcement of the Utah NHL team, league commisioner Gary Bettman announced that the Delta Center will undergo further renovations within the next two seasons which will increase unobstructed seats from 12,000 to 17,000 in hockey configuration.[17]
After Delta Air Lines declined to renew their 15-year naming rights contract, which expired on September 30, 2006, the arena's owner, Larry H. Miller, opted to sell naming rights to EnergySolutions, a low-level nuclear waste disposal company headquartered in Salt Lake City.[19][20] The new name was unveiled November 20, prior to the Jazz's home game against the Toronto Raptors. Two stickers were placed on the court, covering up the arena's old name with the new one.[21] The temporary logos were replaced with official logos on the court sometime in December. EnergySolutions naming rights were set to expire in 2016.[22]
Initial fan reactions to the new name were predominantly negative. Early nicknames for the arena included "the Dump", a jab at EnergySolutions' radioactive and hazardous waste disposal operations.[23] Other suggestions included the Glow Dome, Radium Stadium, Isotope, Chernobowl, Jazzmat, Big Bang, Tox Box, Power House, Hot Spot, Plutonium Palace, Fallout Shelter, Melta Center, and Energy Pollutions Arena.[24]
On October 26, 2015, the naming rights were acquired by the locally based home security and automation provider Vivint in a 10-year contract.[25][26]
On January 14, 2023, Delta Air Lines re-purchased the naming rights to the arena, and effective on July 1, the building returned to the Delta Center name for the first time since November 20, 2006.[27][28][29][30]
Recognition
Delta Center is well known for being one of the hardest places to play for visiting teams in the NBA. According to an NBA Players Poll taken by Sports Illustrated on February 11, 2008, the Delta Center is considered "the most intimidating arena in the NBA" with 20% of the vote made up of 240 current NBA players.[31] Many commentators referred to the arena as the "Decibel Center," a play on the name "Delta Center." During Game 5 of the 1997 NBA Finals, a decibel meter installed at floor level had readings of over 110 decibels, close to the noise generated by a jet takeoff. Also, during the 1997 NBA Finals, NBC'sHannah Storm called the Delta Center "one of the loudest places in sports."[32]
In addition to sports, the arena was intended to host large music concerts. On October 24, 1991, Oingo Boingo became the first headlining act to play the Delta Center.[40]
^Woolf, Jim (August 10, 2000). "A Real Twister: 1 Year Later: A Whirlwind of Memories; Salt Lake City Recalls Devastating Tornado that Changed Lives Forever". The Salt Lake Tribune. Salt Lake City.
^Fricks, Patti T. (May 11, 1991). "Palace Earsplitting But Not Deafening". The Salt Lake Tribune. p. A1.
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