The Utah Jazz are taking a major step toward their next era of development, announcing plans for a new, state-of-the-art practice facility at The Shops at South Town in Sandy, Utah. The new space will sit alongside the Utah Mammoth’s facility, creating a southern hub for both professional basketball and hockey operations under the Smith Entertainment Group (SEG).
SEG owner Ryan Smith officially revealed the plans during a groundbreaking ceremony on October 21, 2025, joined by Jazz players, coaches, and local officials. The new facility will be built on the east side of the shopping complex, on land SEG acquired in 2024 as part of its 111-acre South Town purchase.
Speaking at the announcement, Smith emphasized the significance of the project’s location and purpose:
“The hub of innovation is around here, and a little bit more south, right here in Silicon Slopes,” Smith said. “Being close to all of that, and also having the community to be able to be around what we’re doing — this is the first major campus, I think, that will feel like this.”
Construction is slated to begin later this fall, with Smith estimating the project could be completed in under two years. However, the team likely won’t be able to use the new facility at the start of the 2026–27 NBA season.
Currently, the Jazz practice at the Zions Bank Basketball Campus in Salt Lake City — a facility renovated in 2017 but not owned by SEG. The new development in Sandy represents not only an upgrade in design and technology but also a move to consolidate SEG’s sports and business operations under one roof.
The new facility will mirror the functionality of the team’s current home, with two basketball courts, training and strength areas, locker rooms, recovery suites, a kitchen, and media spaces. However, the Jazz promise an even higher standard.
“The current spot is great,” said Smith. “But if this isn’t an upgrade, we’ve done something wrong. This will be one of the top facilities in the entire sports world.”
Newly appointed President of Basketball Operations Austin Ainge and Head Coach Will Hardy are deeply involved in the design process. Both leaders are working with SEG to ensure the facility supports the Jazz’s culture of innovation and collaboration.
“Sports science is a big part of this, and strength training,” Ainge explained. “We’re also trying to think through the flow — we want interaction amongst the different groups … we’re going to work on a place where the hockey players and the basketball players can congregate and hang out.”
Hardy echoed that sentiment, noting that while the current setup meets most team needs, the Sandy facility offers a chance to elevate every aspect of training and recovery.
The design and construction are being led by Babcock Design, Okland Construction, and Ezra Lee Design + Build — a collaboration that aims to blend cutting-edge architecture with Utah’s unique aesthetic and landscape.
Renderings shared by SEG show sleek, modern exteriors, open-concept training spaces, and integrated wellness areas designed to foster performance, community, and connection.
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The relocation could also shift where players live and spend their time. Ainge noted that the move south might encourage some players to settle closer to Sandy and Draper.
“I think guys are going to want to live within a half hour of where they come every day, right?” he said. “We already have some players that live in Sandy and Draper and down at this end, and we have some that live downtown. I think we’ll continue to have that whole span, but it wouldn’t shock me if a few more moved a little further south.”
Beyond player convenience, SEG envisions the new Sandy campus as a community centerpiece — one that blends sports, entertainment, and local engagement. With the Utah Mammoth also nearby, the area is poised to become a major sports and innovation hub in the state.
Despite the move, SEG maintains a multi-year sponsorship with Zions Bank, including naming rights for the Salt Lake City facility. The name for the new Sandy complex has yet to be announced.
This development comes just a year after SEG reaffirmed its commitment to keeping both the Jazz and the Mammoth at the Delta Center in downtown Salt Lake City for their home games — balancing a new suburban training hub with the franchise’s downtown roots.
As the groundbreaking marks the start of construction, fans and players alike are watching closely as the Jazz embark on this ambitious next chapter. The new facility not only reflects Utah’s growing role in the national sports landscape but also reaffirms the Jazz’s commitment to innovation, community, and world-class performance.
Originally reported by Andy Larsen in The Salt lake Tribune.
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