Sports

Utah Hockey Club to invest in Utah Olympic Oval renovations

KPCW | By Sydney Weaver

Published June 26, 2024 at 2:37 PM MDT

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FILE - Skaters compete during women's mass start race at the World Cup speedskating event at the Utah Olympic Oval, on Dec. 5, 2021, in Kearns, Utah. Salt Lake City's enduring enthusiasm for hosting the Olympics will be on full display Wednesday, April, 10, 2024, when members of the International Olympic Committee come to Utah for a site visit ahead of a formal announcement expected this July to name Salt Lake City the host for the 2034 Winter Olympics. (AP Photo/Rick Bowmer, File) — FILE - Skaters compete during women's mass start race at the World Cup speedskating event at the Utah Olympic Oval, on Dec. 5, 2021, in Kearns, Utah. Salt Lake City's enduring enthusiasm for hosting the Olympics will be on full display Wednesday, April, 10, 2024, when members of the International Olympic Committee come to Utah for a site visit ahead of a formal announcement expected this July to name Salt Lake City the host for the 2034 Winter Olympics.

Smith Entertainment Group and Utah Hockey Club announced plans Wednesday to partner with the Utah Olympic Legacy Foundation and the Olympic Oval facility in Kearns.

The organization plans to contribute millions in capital investments to renovate more than 17,000 square feet of the existing facility and develop a practice site for the team’s inaugural season.

Renovations at the site of the 2002 Games include converting one of the ice sheets from Olympic to National Hockey League-standard regulations, building an NHL locker room, training and treatment facilities and adding offices for Utah Hockey Club coaches and staff.

The Oval is also home of U.S. Speed Skating and is the world's highest indoor speed skating rink at over 4,600 feet above sea level, making it the “fastest ice on Earth.”

The Utah Olympic Oval currently boasts 12 speed skating world records.