Will the Utah Jazz leave Salt Lake City for Draper? Here's why it might not be the best decision.
By Dan Lower
Lodging, Restaurants, Nightlife
The number of hotels and restaurants is significant around the Delta Center, but non-existent near the new arena location, with nothing remotely resembling a 4-5 star hotel that NBA teams prefer to stay at. And while nightlife in Salt Lake City might be tame compared to most NBA cities, it's vibrant when compared with the sleepy neighborhoods of Draper and the South Valley.
The Lease
The Jazz currently have a very favorable lease, in which they own the arena entirely free of any city/county/state governing body. They pay $1 per year to lease the land, which would likely not be repeated if they relocate. They also have control of the revenue streams for the concessions and such, which could change with a new arena.
Location, Location, Location
The Delta Center currently hosts events throughout the year, including concerts, conventions, college basketball, and many other events as the premier venue in the state of Utah. A new arena in Draper would be 27 miles from the Salt Lake International Airport (a 31-minute drive), This is a far cry from the 8 miles that the Delta Center currently resides and could be a negative factor in attracting the needed events (besides Jazz games) to fill open dates in the arena's schedule.