Summit County announced July 16 it had finalized a lease agreement with Skullcandy after purchasing the headquarters building for $17.5 million earlier this year.
The purchase price will be paid for with sales tax revenue, according to the terms of bonds the Summit County Council issued last year.
Under the agreement, Skullcandy will vacate the building by the end of September. It’s relocating across Kimball Junction to a second-floor space above Barnes & Noble and one on the first floor by Backcountry.
CEO Brian Garofalow told KPCW it’s the right size for the Park City-based business — it always had extra space in the building where it's been since 2017.
“Park City is a huge part of who we are. It's our culture. It's where so many of our long-term staff are from and have lived for a long, long time,” Garofalow said. “We want not only the heritage and the authenticity of that story to remain true, but we want to be here forever.”
The county said July 16 it plans to use the Skullcandy building as a library branch, DMV and council meeting space among other “public-facing programs.” It has hired GSBS Architects to plan the renovations.
“This is a once-in-a-generation opportunity to create a vibrant, accessible, and modern civic hub in the Snyderville Basin,” Summit County Manager Shayne Scott said in a statement. “We’re excited to build a space that reflects the County’s commitment to service while making essential programs more accessible for residents.”
That means the Skullcandy building will replace the Sheldon Richins Building, which may be redeveloped into an expanded transit center and mixed-use plaza, pending an agreement with Dakota Pacific Real Estate. Scott may finalize that agreement July 28.
The county’s press release states improvements are planned for its facilities in northern and southern Summit County too, but did not specify what.
Summit County says it does not currently plan to relocate services from the courthouse in Coalville, the county seat.
The county council initially authorized the Skullcandy building purchase in May 2024. The county purchased it from a subsidiary of Dakota Pacific, officials said, separate from then-ongoing negotiations over the company’s controversial Kimball Junction development.
Summit County plans to demolish the Richins Building within a year.
Skullcandy, meanwhile, will be selling off furniture from its offices for its BORN in PC foundation, which funds Park City-area community programs, athletics and arts.
Summit County is a financial supporter of KPCW. For a full list, click here.
