Farmington City Hoping To Attract SLC Stars With New Arena
Jun 10, 2019, 2:41 PM
Paul Asay, SLC Stars
SALT LAKE CITY, Utah – Farmington is in the early stages of preparing a site for an arena that city council members hope could house the Utah Jazz’s NBA G League team, the Salt Lake City Stars.
The proposed site is near the city’s Station Park mall, which is located just northwest of the Lagoon amusement park.
While it’s still very early in the process, Farmington city officials are optimistic that the proposed modest-scale arena will become an ideal gathering place for entertainment, including basketball games, in Davis County.
What a year. #ItStartsHere #TeamIsEverything pic.twitter.com/a07ruLZz34
— Salt Lake City Stars (@slcstars) April 10, 2019
“In the summer months 35,000 people visit our city of 22,000 daily, an arena for 5,000 seats/people would be a welcome addition and would be a huge compliment to the surrounding development in the area,” said Brigham Mellor, the city’s community and economic director in an email to sports.ksl.com. “While we are optimistic and bullish on our prospects, this is still extremely early in the process. Again we are just trying to make the most of promising potential as we have been directed to do by our mayor and council, in particular chasing those projects that fit with our Farmington identity – an arena is something we feel fits into that category.”
When reached for comment, Stars president Jonathan Rinehart declined to speak on the possibility of moving operations to Davis County.
“We look forward to welcoming our fans back for the 2019-20 Stars season that will be played at Bruin Arena on the Salt Lake Community College campus beginning in November. SLCC has been a valuable partner in the startup of the Stars in Salt Lake City the past three years,” said Rinehart via email.
Spending Wingman Day with the Utah Air National Guard. Thanks to all military members and their families for their service! #HoopsForTroops pic.twitter.com/wUj4pO03Ic
— Salt Lake City Stars (@slcstars) June 8, 2019
The Stars just wrapped up their third season playing in Taylorsville, after the parent-club Jazz purchased the team when it was in Boise and known as the Stampede and moved the squad closer to its NBA operations in 2016.
In 2018-19, the Stars wrapped up its best season yet in Utah, finishing with a 27-23 record and making the postseason for the first time in Salt Lake City. The team also set attendance records with a crowd of 7,455 for a game at Vivint Smart Home Arena on Nov. 6 and a draw of 2,287 at Bruin Arena for Donovan Mitchell bobblehead night on March 1.
The Stars pride themselves on being an affordable, family-friendly option for sports fans in the Salt Lake area. If Farmington City has its way, they could be eventually pulling up stakes and finding a new home just a bit north.
