Smith Entertainment Group released a video on social media Monday morning updating fans on the Delta Center renovation project.
The project, which is intended to take place over three summers, is designed to make the arena fully suitable for both NHL hockey and NBA basketball without compromising the viewing experience for either sport.
“It’s definitely unique in the sense that most of these two-sport buildings are hockey first and then basketball,” said Larry Lippold, the head architect over the project, in an April press conference. “In this case, we’re really maintaining both sports first, equally.”
The summer 2025 portion of the renovation is primarily intended to make every lower-bowl seat a full-view seat for hockey. This stage includes:
Implementing a bleacher system that expands both vertically and horizontally
Expanding the playing surface by 12 feet on each end
Raising the playing surface by two feet
Increasing the bathroom capacities by 12%
Installing four dehumidifiers
Future stages of the project will improve the sight lines of the upper-bowl seats, among other things.
When all phases of construction are complete, the seating capacity for hockey will increase from 11,131 (plus 4,889 obstructed-view seats) to approximately 17,000. Basketball capacity will jump from 18,206 to nearly 19,000.
“We’re on schedule,” said Jim Olson, president of the Utah Jazz, in the video. “We’re feeling really good that we’re going to be open on time.”
The next scheduled event at the arena is the Utah Mammoth’s preseason game against the Los Angeles Kings on Oct. 2, followed by five concerts the next week.
A rendering of the renovated Delta Center for basketball.| Smith Entertainment Group