The Utah Grizzlies announced their intention to sell the franchise in June.
(Trent Nelson | The Salt Lake Tribune) The Utah Grizzlies host the Rapid City Rush, ECHL hockey at the Maverik Center in West Valley City on Saturday, Jan. 27, 2024.
West Valley City has cleared the way for the Utah Grizzlies to leave the Maverik Center and the state.
The City Council on Tuesday voted unanimously to authorize the sale of the minor league hockey team that has called West Valley home for the last 30 years.
“Reluctantly, but yes,” council member Don Christensen said as he cast his vote.
The city owns a minority share of the team. After Tuesday’s vote, the Grizzlies are expected to be sold to Pro Hockey Partners LLC and moved out of Utah after this season.
The Grizzlies organization announced in June that it had begun exploring the potential sale of the team. The club’s longtime owner David Elmore — who created Elmore Sports Group (the Grizzlies’ current owner) — died in June 2023. Elmore’s wife and co-owner, Donna Tuttle, is now facing declining health and it is challenging for the family to remain actively involved in team operations, the team said.
(Trent Nelson | The Salt Lake Tribune) The Utah Grizzlies host the Rapid City Rush, ECHL hockey at the Maverik Center in West Valley City on Saturday, Jan. 27, 2024.
It does not make it easier for those who have been cheering the Grizzlies on since they arrived in 1995, though.
“It is a sad day for West Valley City with the Grizzlies leaving,” one Grizzlies fan told the City Council on Tuesday. “I know council member Christensen and his family were regular supporters of it. I’ve been to lots of games. And it is a sad day. It is not a surprise, but it is a very sad day for West Valley City.”
West Valley City had a say in the Grizzlies’ sale because of a 2009 deal to help save the hockey team. There was fear that the franchise might fold because of financial strains, so West Valley City acquired a 40% stake in the Grizzlies to settle a $600,000 debt for unpaid rent. The city’s partial ownership came instead of a cash payment from the team.
Despite the Grizzlies’ exit from the Maverik Center after next season, the City Council approved $300,000 to begin upgrading the arena, which opened in 1997.
(Francisco Kjolseth | The Salt Lake Tribune) The Utah Food Bank does a big food giveaway at the Maverik Center in West Valley City on Friday, April 24, 2020, as hundreds line up for drive-thru pick up.
Without the Grizzlies, the Maverik Center will still be used for concerts, family shows and, eventually, the 2034 Winter Olympics.
The city says the arena needs a number of upgrades in the future, including:
Seat replacements.Renovated suites.New VIP lounge.Renovated concession stands.Remodeled bathrooms.Redesigned restaurant and banquet room.Parking lot redesign.Locker room redesign.New tech and sound systems.Security system update.Ice deck replacement.Renovated kitchens.
“The Maverik Center is almost 30 years old and in need of major renovations to keep up with the industry as a Sports Arena and Entertainment Center,” a city document shared with council members read.