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Delta Center’s name evokes memories of Utah sports
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Delta Center’s name evokes memories of Utah sports

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Salt Lake City – The Utah Jazz announced on Saturday that they are renaming their home arena the Delta Center.

This is the building of the same name when it opened to the public in 1991 and has become a leading destination for sporting events, concerts and entertainment in Utah.

Take a look back at some of the best moments from your time at Delta Center.

RELATED: Delta Centersets Back in July

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Delta Center debuts on October 4, 1991

After breaking ground in May 1990, the Delta Center opened to the public in October 1991, less than a year and a half later.

Jazz owner Larry H. Miller then oversaw the construction of the building. After Jazz moved to Utah, his 12,000-seat Salt His Palace, which hosted Jazz, grew beyond the size of the franchise and the city.

The team took its first win at the building on November 9, 1991 against the Los Angeles Clippers and named it the Delta Center.

Jazzhost 1993 All-Star Game

Shortly after the Delta Center debuted, then-Commissioner David Stern awarded the 1993 NBA All-Star Game to Utah.

The All-Star weekend wasn’t without its problems, as Michael Jordan spent the week leading up to the golf game in Las Vegas, refusing to reveal it to the media in Salt Lake City.

The three-point contest was won by Cleveland Cavaliers sniper Mark Price, and Miami Heat guard Harold Minor won the dunk contest after Seattle SuperSonics All-Star Shawn Kemp withdrew from the event.

But the All-Star Game itself couldn’t be more for state fans.

Jazz legend Karl Malone led the Western Conference All-Stars with 28 points and 10 rebounds on 11-of-17 shooting.

John Stockton added a game-high 15 assists for 9 points as he and Malone were named joint MVPs of the game.

Jazz reach back-to-back finals, host flu game

After more than a decade of playoff disappointment, Stockton and Malone defeated rivals Houston Rockets in the 1997 Western Conference Finals to finally lead the Jazz to the NBA Finals.

The Jazz defeated the Chicago Bulls, 104-93, in Game 3 of the Finals, making the Championship Series at the Delta Center for the first time.

The team won the series 2-2 in Game 4 and lost to the Bulls in Game 5 in Jordan’s infamous flu game.

The Jazz hosted the Finals again in 1998, starting the series against the Bulls at the Delta Center, winning 88-85 to take a 1-0 lead.

However, in 1998, they lost 4-2 to the Bulls, making it the Jazz’s last finals at their home arena.

Delta Center becomes Salt Lake Ice Center

Due to International Olympic Committee policy, Delta Center had to withdraw its corporate sponsorship during the 2002 Salt Lake City Winter Olympics.

The Ice Center hosted figure skating and short track speed skating in a two-week event.

USA’s Sarah Hughes won gold in women’s singles figure skating and Michelle Kwan won bronze.

Timothy Goebel won the bronze medal in men’s singles.

In short track speed skating, Apollo Anton Ohno won gold in the 1,500m and silver in the 1,000m.

USA’s Rusty Smith won the bronze medal in the 500m short track race.

Stockton and Malone Statue at Delta Center

On March 26, 2006, Malone joined Stockton for one last time to cement their legacy at the Delta Center.

The Jazz unveiled Stockton’s statue on May 30, 2005, and less than a year later Malone was inducted into the Hall of Fame just off John Stockton and Karl Malone Drives on the southeast corner of the arena. Joined as a teammate.

“This is not about John or Carl,” Stockton said of the statue.

Within the Delta Center, Stockton became the leader in assists and stolen bases in NBA history, while Malone retired as the second leading scorer in NBA history.

Arena history

The arena was built in 1991 under the title Delta Center. The Jazz spent the early years of the franchise at the Salt Palace before moving to Arena.

Delta held the naming rights until 2006 when EnergySolutions bid for the title.

Related: The Best Moments of the Vivint Arena Era

The arena was called the EnergySolutions Arena from 2006 to 2015 when Utah-based home security company Vivint Smart Home purchased the naming rights. Vivint is set to own the team’s naming rights through 2025.

In December, it was announced that NRG Energy, Inc. would purchase the Vivint Smart Home. It was announced that NRG Energy, Inc. will purchase Vivint Smart Home for $12 per share, or $2.8 billion in an all-cash transaction.

The Jazz invested $125 million in this arena in 2015 to bring it up to date with competing buildings across the NBA.

Upgrades included an expanded indoor entrance to protect ticket holders from the frigid outdoor weather. All arena seats have been refreshed with more comfortable padded chairs and in-arena amenities have been upgraded including more restaurant and team store options.

In October 2019, the Jazz were awarded the 2023 NBA All-Star Game after the Jazz unveiled upgrades to the Vivint Smart Home Arena.

Vivint Arena shortened the name to Vivint Smart Home Arena in August 2020.

Ben Anderson is a KSL Sports Insider for the Utah Jazz and co-hosts Jake and Ben with Jake Scott from 10-12pm. 97.5 KSL Sports ZoneFind Ben on Twitter. @BensHoops or on Instagram @BensHoops.



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