This is an archived article that was published on sltrib.com in 2017, and information in the article may be outdated. It is provided only for personal research purposes and may not be reprinted.
Utah legislators daily watch a parade of groups asking for money. So they honored one organization Tuesday that is about to embark on a $150 million construction project without a dime of state money: the Utah Jazz.
"I think it is phenomenal that you are doing this without public money" to upgrade Vivint Smart Home Arena, Rep. Robert Spendlove, R-Sandy, told Jazz leaders invited Tuesday to the House GOP Caucus.
Actually, the Jazz asked for and received a $22.7 million subsidy from the Salt Lake City Redevelopment Agency. The RDA ruffled feathers because it approved the public tax-increment financing with no public hearing and minimal notice.
Lawmakers gave Jazz leaders a standing ovation not only for funding the arena construction itself, but also for owner Gail Miller transferring team ownership to a legacy trust designed to keep the team in the state and prevent its sale.
"It's not every day that you get to turn your back on $1 billion, but that's what my mom has done," her son, Greg Miller, told lawmakers about the trust. With it, he said keeping the team in Utah "is as sure as anything in this life."
Miller Sports Properties President Steve Starks said the Miller family itself would never say it, but any other NBA franchise doing a similar arena project "would be up here today asking for $300 million. But that's not the Miller family."
He noted that the Jazz's arena is now the second oldest in the NBA, even though it feels new to many Salt Lakers. He said the team looked closely at options for needed improvements, including building a new arena.
But he said consultants said, "Look, You can spend $120 million and get 90 to 95 percent of what you would get in a new building, or you can spend $500 million and get a new building." He said the Jazz like the current location, and the arena's timeless look.
Starks said construction is set to begin as soon as the Jazz season ends — and said that currently is scheduled in June after the NBA finals, which he hopes the team can make.
Coach Quin Snyder also appeared with other Jazz leaders. He joked with lawmakers that "if you just listen to me a little bit, it will be more than my team listened to me in the last several games" as it suffered some tough losses.
Still, he said, the team has now is now good enough that "we've become relevant. But we're not there yet…. We're still really finding out about our team."
He told lawmakers that he wasn't quite sure how he entered coaching, because he was aiming to become a lawyer. A chorus of lawyers among the legislators quickly yelled out in unison that moving into coaching was a "good choice."
The Jazz Bear also appeared, reenacting an infamous incident where he once appeared unannounced on the House floor and shot a confetti cannon just behind then-Rep. Curt Oda, a gun enthusiast. The startled Oda is said to have wheeled around and drawn a gun before seeing it was just the bear.
The Jazz Bear entered the caucus on Tuesday and fired the confetti cannon again, and Oda — now a lobbyist — ran in from the hall yelling, "I've got him, I've got him," and gave the bear a bear hug.