Representatives for the events center at High Star Ranch say all contracts for 2025 and beyond are canceled and deposits will be returned.
DeJoria Center General Manager Gary Siddoway said he and his employees got the news Tuesday, Nov. 5, and will now have to find work elsewhere.
“I'm just sick, you know? Not just for myself, but I think we have 12 staff members that are going to be done at the end of the year, right around the holidays,” he said Nov. 7. “As a general manager, that's your job is to kind of protect your staff—and not doing that very well.”
High Star Ranch is a luxury living community on the north side of Kamas with homesites, trails, restaurants and retail. The 9,600-square-foot DeJoria Center has hosted everything from concerts to fundraisers to community events.
Most recently it hosted the Utah Avalanche Center’s 7th Annual Professional Snow & Avalanche Workshop Nov. 4.
Siddoway said the building's large size does make it expensive to operate sustainably.
The State Road Tavern restaurant and Country Store and Café all connected to the DeJoria will also close Dec. 31. Rhodes Valley Outfitters, which Siddoway owns, is not closing but is renegotiating its lease.
Construction on homes in High Star Ranch was paused last year when ownership considered selling the development. It has not been sold yet, according to Summit County property records.
High Star homeowners received letters this week that residential construction will resume, but it’s unclear when. Siddoway is not aware of any connection between the DeJoria Center’s closing and any potential sale.
The events center was built in 2016 and named for its primary investor, John Paul DeJoria. He's known for co-founding Paul Mitchell hair products and The Patrón Spirits Company.
Legal council for High Star Ranch's owners declined to comment.
This is a developing story and will be updated as more information is confirmed.