Smith Entertainment Group chairman Ryan Smith announced in an X post Monday that the company will donate up to $10 million to fund the construction of new hockey rinks in Utah.
Each new rink will receive a $500,000 stipend, with a cap at 20 rinks. Smith also stated that SEG will provide “out-of-the-box” plans for the buildings, attaching concept images of rinks featuring one, two and three sheets of ice.
“SEG is all in on growing hockey in Utah and doing it fast,” Smith said in the post.
He also encouraged entrepreneurs and cities to partner together in arena construction efforts.
SEG declined to comment any further at this time, but echoed Smith’s statement that more details will be released in the coming weeks.
This comes 10 days after Smith said in an X post that “every municipality in Utah should have an ice rink.” In that post and on a number of occasions previous to it, Smith referenced SEG’s Jr. Jazz program, in which he says 70,000 kids participate. He’d like hockey to get to the same numbers.
SEG currently runs a number of initiatives designed to get youth interested in hockey, including the “Learn to Play” program, which has been successful in a number of NHL cities.
“Utah Hockey Club is committed to making hockey accessible to as many kids and families as possible,” said Utah Hockey Club president of hockey operations Chris Armstrong in an October press release. “Our youth programs focus on helping kids to learn the game and cultivating a passion for the sport in neighborhoods and communities throughout the state.”