The public got its first glimpse of Smith Entertainment Group’s (SEG) plans for its new hockey training facility at Sandy’s Shops at South Town at a recent groundbreaking ceremony for the center. The SEG owner Ryan Smith, members of the new Utah Hockey Club, Sandy Mayor Monica Zoltanski and other local officials were present.

“We plan on not stopping with the ice center here, but actually making this a destination for people to come and interact with the NHL brand, maybe even the top destination,” Smith said. “[Sandy] is the perfect intersection of east, south, north and west in the state.”

The once-vacant building at the south end of The Shops at South Town was acquired by SEG in early August and will be the new home of the Utah hockey team training facility. 

“It really wasn’t that long ago when conversations started about what this site could be and what the potential is of bringing hockey to Sandy,” Zoltanski said at the groundbreaking. “This happened really fast, but Sandy’s ready.”

Zoltanski also said both Sandy and SEG worked at “warp speed” to “be prepared to seize this moment.”

In addition to making the training facility a popular destination in the state, Smith and the SEG team see it as a place to build community in the Salt Lake Valley. Several families from the area joined in the event after they saw the banner posted on nearby I-15 at 10600 South.

After speaking with families in the community, Zoltanski noted there are many families looking forward to the opportunity to skate and use the public rink when it’s not in use by the hockey team. Smith agreed the community is another driving force for building the facility.

“When our guys are off the ice, the community is going to be on the ice,” Smith said. “I don’t think there’s another sport like that.”

Plans unveiled at the groundbreaking show the previous retail space, about 200,000 square feet in size, with an additional section expanding into the current parking lot for the two planned ice rinks, according to Jim Olson, the project lead for the facility and an executive with SEG.

“Today is a crucial step forward in expanding SEG’s real estate footprint and public benefit offerings for our fans and residents of Utah,” Olson said in a press release. “We are thankful for our collaboration with the city of Sandy on this project, and we look forward to sharing more details throughout the development process.”

The first regular-season game for the Utah Hockey Club will be played on Oct. 8 against the Chicago Blackhawks at the Delta Center, with plans for the training facility in Sandy to be completed before the 2025 hockey season.