Overstock breaks ground for 'Peace Coliseum'

CEO Patrick Byrne sky dives into the ceremony at Midvale construction site.

Al Hartmann | The Salt Lake Tribune
Overstock.com CEO Patrick Byrne, center, and President Stormy Simon, right, get ready to dig in for the company's ground breaking of a $100 million campus that it is calling the ìPeace Coliseum,î which will cover 230,793 square feet. It will look like a peace sign from overhead and the Roman Colosseum from the ground. The parcel is on the northwest corner of the property at 7200 S. 900 West

Al Hartmann | The Salt Lake Tribune
Overstock.com CEO Patrick Byrne decends by parachute from 18,000 feet for the company's ground breaking for a $100 million campus that it is calling the ìPeace Coliseum,î which will cover 230,793 square feet. It will look like a peace sign from overhead and the Roman Colosseum from the ground. The parcel is on the northwest corner of the property at 7200 S. 900 West

Al Hartmann | The Salt Lake Tribune
Overstock.com employees shade their eyes from the direct sun to see Overstock.com CEO Patrick Byrne's decent by parachute from 18,000 feet to the site for the company's ground breaking for a $100 million campus that it is calling the "Peace Coliseum," which will cover 230,793 square feet. It will look like a peace sign from overhead and the Roman Colosseum from the ground. The parcel is on the northwest corner of the property at 7200 S. 900 West

Al Hartmann | The Salt Lake Tribune
Overstock.com CEO Patrick Byrne (still wrapped in his parachute from a drop of 18,000 feet) high fives employees for the company's ground breaking of a $100 million campus that it is calling the ìPeace Coliseum,î which will cover 230,793 square feet. It will look like a peace sign from overhead and the Roman Colosseum from the ground. The parcel is on the northwest corner of the property at 7200 S. 900 West

Al Hartmann | The Salt Lake Tribune
Overstock.com, Midvale City and Salt Lake County officials dig in for the company's ground breaking of a $100 million campus that it is calling the "Peace Coliseum," which will cover 230,793 square feet. It will look like a peace sign from overhead and the Roman Colosseum from the ground. The parcel is on the northwest corner of the property at 7200 S. 900 West

Al Hartmann | The Salt Lake Tribune
Overstock.com CEO Patrick Byrne (still wrapped in his parachute from a drop of 18,000 feet) high fives employees for the company's ground breaking of a $100 million campus that it is calling the "Peace Coliseum," which will cover 230,793 square feet. It will look like a peace sign from overhead and the Roman Colosseum from the ground. The parcel is on the northwest corner of the property at 7200 S. 900 West

Al Hartmann | The Salt Lake Tribune
Overstock.com CEO Patrick Byrne speaks to employees for the company's ground breaking of a $100 million campus that it is calling the "Peace Coliseum," which will cover 230,793 square feet. It will look like a peace sign from overhead and the Roman Colosseum from the ground. The parcel is on the northwest corner of the property at 7200 S. 900 West

Al Hartmann | The Salt Lake Tribune
Overstock,cim Presidengt Overstock.com is breaking ground for a $100 million campus that it is calling the "Peace Coliseum," which will cover 230,793 square feet. It will look like a peace sign from overhead and the Roman Colosseum from the ground.

INFORMATION-> Overstock's flamboyant CEO, Patrick Byrne, is going to skydive into the groundbreaking.

The parcel is on the northwest corner of the property at 7200 S. 900 West

Al Hartmann | The Salt Lake Tribune
Overstock.com CEO Patrick Byrne speaks to employees for the company's ground breaking of a $100 million campus that it is calling the "Peace Coliseum," which will cover 230,793 square feet. It will look like a peace sign from overhead and the Roman Colosseum from the ground. The parcel is on the northwest corner of the property at 7200 S. 900 West

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Al Hartmann | The Salt Lake Tribune Overstock.com CEO Patrick Byrne, center, and President Stormy Simon, right, get ready to dig in for the company's ground breaking of a $100 million campus that it is calling the ìPeace Coliseum,î which will cover 230,793 square feet. It will look like a peace sign from overhead and the Roman Colosseum from the ground. The parcel is on the northwest corner of the property at 7200 S. 900 West Al Hartmann | The Salt Lake Tribune Overstock.com CEO Patrick Byrne decends by parachute from 18,000 feet for the company's ground breaking for a $100 million campus that it is calling the ìPeace Coliseum,î which will cover 230,793 square feet. It will look like a peace sign from overhead and the Roman Colosseum from the ground. The parcel is on the northwest corner of the property at 7200 S. 900 West Al Hartmann | The Salt Lake Tribune Overstock.com employees shade their eyes from the direct sun to see Overstock.com CEO Patrick Byrne's decent by parachute from 18,000 feet to the site for the company's ground breaking for a $100 million campus that it is calling the "Peace Coliseum," which will cover 230,793 square feet. It will look like a peace sign from overhead and the Roman Colosseum from the ground. The parcel is on the northwest corner of the property at 7200 S. 900 West Al Hartmann | The Salt Lake Tribune Overstock.com CEO Patrick Byrne (still wrapped in his parachute from a drop of 18,000 feet) high fives employees for the company's ground breaking of a $100 million campus that it is calling the ìPeace Coliseum,î which will cover 230,793 square feet. It will look like a peace sign from overhead and the Roman Colosseum from the ground. The parcel is on the northwest corner of the property at 7200 S. 900 West Al Hartmann | The Salt Lake Tribune Overstock.com, Midvale City and Salt Lake County officials dig in for the company's ground breaking of a $100 million campus that it is calling the "Peace Coliseum," which will cover 230,793 square feet. It will look like a peace sign from overhead and the Roman Colosseum from the ground. The parcel is on the northwest corner of the property at 7200 S. 900 West Al Hartmann | The Salt Lake Tribune Overstock.com CEO Patrick Byrne (still wrapped in his parachute from a drop of 18,000 feet) high fives employees for the company's ground breaking of a $100 million campus that it is calling the "Peace Coliseum," which will cover 230,793 square feet. It will look like a peace sign from overhead and the Roman Colosseum from the ground. The parcel is on the northwest corner of the property at 7200 S. 900 West Al Hartmann | The Salt Lake Tribune Overstock.com CEO Patrick Byrne speaks to employees for the company's ground breaking of a $100 million campus that it is calling the "Peace Coliseum," which will cover 230,793 square feet. It will look like a peace sign from overhead and the Roman Colosseum from the ground. The parcel is on the northwest corner of the property at 7200 S. 900 West Al Hartmann | The Salt Lake Tribune Overstock,cim Presidengt Overstock.com is breaking ground for a $100 million campus that it is calling the "Peace Coliseum," which will cover 230,793 square feet. It will look like a peace sign from overhead and the Roman Colosseum from the ground. INFORMATION-> Overstock's flamboyant CEO, Patrick Byrne, is going to skydive into the groundbreaking. The parcel is on the northwest corner of the property at 7200 S. 900 West Al Hartmann | The Salt Lake Tribune Overstock.com CEO Patrick Byrne speaks to employees for the company's ground breaking of a $100 million campus that it is calling the "Peace Coliseum," which will cover 230,793 square feet. It will look like a peace sign from overhead and the Roman Colosseum from the ground. The parcel is on the northwest corner of the property at 7200 S. 900 West

The Salt Lake Tribune

· October 10, 2014 3:40 pm

This is an archived article that was published on sltrib.com in 2014, and information in the article may be outdated. It is provided only for personal research purposes and may not be reprinted.

The groundbreaking for Overstock.com's new building — dubbed the "Peace Coliseum" — was typical of its flamboyant CEO, Patrick Byrne. He parachuted into the event in Midvale at 7295 S. Bingham Junction Boulevard (about 900 West).

When the $100 million, 231,000-square-foot building is completed, the e-commerce company will be able to house most of its Salt Lake Valley employees, now divided between two offices, under a single roof.

It's a roof that from the air will look like a peace sign. From ground level, it will mimic the appearance of the Roman Coliseum. Hence, the "Peace Coliseum" nickname.

"The coliseum aspect speaks to the fact we're for the long term. We're bold, we're proud, we're established," Byrne said in a news release for the ceremony. "The peace sign is a reflection of the duality of man."

Also speaking at the event were Midvale Mayor JoAnn Seghini and Salt Lake County Mayor Ben McAdams.

Mike Gorrell