MLB team in Utah? Ex-Jazz owners push to bring club to Salt Lake City

The former owners of the NBA’s Utah Jazz are pushing for a Major League Baseball franchise in Salt Lake City.

The Miller family and the Larry H. Miller Company said Wednesday that a coalition calling itself Big League Utah has targeted a site for a ballpark in the 100-acre Rocky Mountain Power District on Salt Lake City’s west side.

Salt Lake City has had a Triple-A team since 1994, first an affiliate of the Minnesota Twins and since 2001 a farm team of the Los Angeles Angels. According to Baseball America, The Bees averaged 5,873 fans per game in 2022.

Montreal; Las Vegas; Nashville, Tennessee; and Portland, Oregon, have also expressed potential interest in acquiring an MLB team. According to Nielsen, Salt Lake City is the 29th largest designated market area with 1.15 million. Charlotte is 21st with 1.32 million, Portland 22nd with 1.29 million, Nashville 27th with 1.7 million and Las Vegas 40th with 870,000.

MLB commissioner Rob Manfred has repeatedly said he doesn’t envision an expansion until after the Tampa Bay Rays and Oakland Athletics get new ballparks — but he would eventually like to add two teams to reach 32.

And like just about everywhere in Salt Lake City, you have mountain views from the park

Salt Lake City has had a Triple-A team since 1994. It is affiliated with the Los Angeles Angels

Baseball last expanded in 1998, with teams in Phoenix and St. Petersburg, Florida, the latter of which could move unless the stadium situation is resolved. And by the way, the A’s could move too unless a deal is reached with Oakland.

The Miller family bought a stake in the Jazz in 1985 and sold the team in December 2020.

“Over the past year, we have enjoyed our continued conversation with Major League Baseball and formally registered our interest in Salt Lake as an expansion market,” Steve Starks, CEO of Larry H. Miller Co., said in a statement.

After withdrawing plans for ballparks in Fremont and San Jose, the A’s announced in November 2018 that they had found a waterfront site for a new ballpark at Howard Terminal, close to the Jack London Square neighborhood. But the city of Oakland missed a key October deadline for finalizing an agreement with the A’s on the $12 billion project. The A’s have also explored a move to Las Vegas.

The A’s lease at RingCentral Coliseum expires after the 2024 season, and while they may be forced to extend terms, the club and MLB have deemed the stadium unsuitable for a professional franchise.

One former Major Leaguer supporting the cause is legendary Atlanta Braves slugger Dale Murphy, a devout Mormon now living in Utah.

Salt Lake Bees catcher John Hester chats with baseball legend Dale Murphy in 2014

The late Jazz owner Larry H. Miller (second from left), Carlos Boozer (center), and other members of the Miller family are pictured in 2008

“From now on, the grassroots will show Major League Baseball that they support this move,” says Murphy. KUTV of Salt Lake City. We have everything in its place and everything is here, but when Major League Baseball sees what we can do as a community – they generally know – but when you come here and feel what this community has to offer, that will be a Major League franchise make the big difference.’

Newly elected mayor Sheng Thao said reaching a deal is important as long as it makes economic sense for the city. Her predecessor, Libby Schaaf, led previous efforts to reach an agreement, but after the city and the A’s missed that October deadline, MLB Commissioner Rob Manfred expressed reservations that a deal will ever be struck.

“The pace in Oakland hasn’t been high, number one,” Manfred said at the time. “We are in a stadium situation that is really unsustainable. I mean, we have to do something to change the situation. So I’m worried about the lack of speed.’

MLB Commissioner Rob Manfred

Under plans released in January, a new ballpark for the Rays would be built near present-day Tropicana Field in St. Petersburg, Florida. But funding for the project has not been announced.

Mayor Ken Welch, of St. Petersburg, Florida, chose a partnership between the Rays and Houston-based development firm Hines from four proposals to transform a 34-acre downtown site where Tropicana Field is now located. Welch said the plan should keep the Rays in St. Petersburg for the long haul.

“This team is the best partner for this generational effort, and now the next phase of work begins to make this dream a reality for everyone in St. Petersburg,” Welch said in a speech on the steps of City Hall.

The Rays have played at the domed Tropicana Field since their first season in 1998, but have considered moving elsewhere, such as neighboring Tampa, amid continued low attendance. There was also a proposal to split their home games between St. Petersburg and Montreal, which was rejected by MLB.

Commissioner Rob Manfred said last year that there is a sense of urgency for the Rays to fix their stadium problem and that MLB wants the team to stay in Tampa Bay.

“We think Tampa is a major league market and we want to find a solution that makes the club economically viable in that market,” Manfred said at the time.