- Campus leaders at the University of Utah were authorized Tuesday to explore alternative sites for the storied Jon M. Huntsman Center.
- The venue has played host to hundreds of Ute victories — and the historic "Magic-Bird" NCAA Final.
- The likely Huntsman Center move is part of a broader effort to change the campus profile of Utah's flagship university.
The University of Utah’s storied Jon M. Huntsman Center — host to hundreds of Ute basketball and gymnastic victories and one historic Magic-Bird moment — is searching for a new home.
On Tuesday, the school’s board of trustees voted unanimously to approve a motion presented by University of Utah President Taylor Randall allowing campus leaders to explore alternative sites for the 56-year-old Huntsman Center.
Randall’s discussion of the Huntsman Center future was part of a larger discussion of what Utah’s flagship university will look like in the future as it transitions from a traditionally commuter campus to more of a residential “destination” campus, while enhancing its “college town magic.”
Perhaps the most dramatic element in that envisioned campus evolution into campus districts, or “neighborhoods,” includes the relocation of the Huntsman Center.
“I want to make it clear that we have not decided where the new arena should go,” said Randall. “We need to study the economics, the location, the parking, the access and events will continue at our current Huntsman Center until a new arena is constructed.”
University of Utah Athletic Director Mark Harlan called Tuesday’s motion to study the relocation of the Huntsman Center “very exciting” and grounded in innovation and vision.
Harlan acknowledged that the Huntsman Center is loved by legions of Ute fans. “But the timing in this parallel path of President Randall’s vision also aligns with the timing of a building that is, frankly, not as accessible as it needs to be in this day and time.”
Harlan added study groups are already on board and looking at possible locations.
“This is a fantastic opportunity for this athletic department to modernize and to move forward in conjunction with this overall plan,” said Harlan. “So we’re excited to be a part of this. We’re excited to work with our fans — who will be surveying for locations and surveying for needs — and really moving our arena sports into this new modern era.”
The trustee’s approval to search for a new location for the Huntsman Center was the most dramatic element of their approval of Randall’s “Campus Physical Development Framework” study that includes transforming the campus from commuter-focused to residential — while enhancing student life and “college town magic” at the southeast corner of campus.
Planning for the campus development framework evolved over a 14-month process that included engagement with the vast campus community and planning experts.
Randall concluded his remarks Tuesday by thanking the trustees for their support of the ambitious project that would redefine the University of Utah campus — and Ute athletics.
“We’re excited about the future of where this university will go,” Randall said. “Let’s roll up our sleeves and start executing now.”
A home for magical Ute moments
The 56-year-old Huntsman Center — originally called the Special Events Center — holds a treasured place in the hearts of Ute fans and beyond.
The 15,000 seat arena has hosted some of the most memorable moments in University of Utah basketball, gymnastics and volleyball history.
More than 8 million fans have watched the Runnin’ Utes in the Huntsman Center, where the squad has won almost 80% of its home games, entering the 2024-2025 season, according to the university.
And the Utah women’s basketball team? They’ve enjoyed even more success — claiming victory over 80% of the time while competing on the Huntsman Center floor.
Meanwhile, every NCAA gymnastics attendance record has been set in the Huntsman Center — including the most people to ever watch a collegiate gymnastics meet, according to the university.
The Red Rocks own the longest home win streak by any NCAA sport — going 24 years and 170 meets (Feb. 20, 1979, through Mar. 23, 2002) without losing a dual meet.
Huntsman Center memories: Magic vs. Bird
Nationally, the Huntsman Center hosted one of the most historic and still-talked-about NCAA men’s basketball title games when, in 1979, Magic Johnson and his Michigan State Spartans defeated Larry Bird’s Indiana State.
Beyond the Magic-Bird college classic, the venue ranks third among the nation’s basketball arenas for the most NCAA Tournament games. Eighty-one March Madness games have been played in the facility.
The arena has also hosted multiple NCAA women’s basketball tournament games.
Ancillary events for the 2023 NBA All-Star Weekend were also hosted at the Huntsman Center.
Meanwhile, scores of University of Utah graduates and area high school students celebrated graduations at the storied facility.
A history of growth, improvement
Just over a decade ago, the Huntsman Center underwent a $6 million renovation — including the installation of a super-grid ceiling structure, a state-of-the-art sound system, brighter and energy-efficient LED lighting in the arena and concourse, a maple wood floor, and updated graphics wrapping the walls of the lower bowl and mid-level concourse, according to the university.
Underground tunnels stretching 2,220 feet connect the arena with the four-building HPER complex, which underwent a renovation before the 2015-16 season.
The $36 million project included construction of the Jon M. and Karen Huntsman Basketball Center — which houses the men’s and women’s basketball programs, and the Sorenson Legacy Foundation High Performance Center, a state-of-the-art sports medicine and strength & conditioning facility, according to the university.
The locations of the Basketball Center and the recently expanded Dumke Gymnastics Facility are not expected to be relocated.
So what’s next?
Now that campus leaders can begin exploring alternative Huntsman Center sites, they will identify potential locations for the “new, multi-purpose arena” — along with estimated financial investments – and then seek trustees approval by September.
While the Huntsman Center relocation process will surely grab most of the public attention, it’s but a singular element of a larger campus physical development effort.
Each proposed project that emerges in the coming months will go through a capital approval process that includes formal reviews and a series of approvals — including legislative approval for state-funded project, said Randall.
The university president said that all future developments will be anchored to a central goal: “We want to be a top-10 public institution of unsurpassed societal impact — that means, specifically, that we take each one of our students and make sure they have outstanding outcomes.”
Another key metric in campus development, he added, is focusing on reaching $1 billion in research funding.
“We’re really transitioning from what has traditionally been a commuter campus into a destination campus,” said Randall. “That type of a build-out also helps us prepare for the infrastructure needed in the 2034 Winter Olympics.”
Besides approving the exploration of new Huntsman Center sites, the Board of Trustees also approved the Campus Physical Development Framework — including its guiding principles and proposed “districts”.
The future University of Utah campus, as Randall envisions, will be divided into “districts.”
“These districts will be used specifically for planning of different uses to reach university goals.”
A highlight of that framework would be creating a campus district called “College Town Magic” that would feature new student housing and campus gathering spaces.
That district, Randall added, would be grounded in campus community-building — “Not only for students, but also for faculty and staff, where we can engage together and build community in a very different way.”
Located at the heart of the campus, the “College Town Magic” would be designed to enhance the university experience with housing, dining, integrated arts and cultural spaces, retail, recreation spaces and plazas.
“This is, this is going to be an ambitious undertaking that certainly has to be accomplished relatively quickly, particularly given the growth we’re seeing in demand for our student opportunities,” said Randall.
The trustees also approved a motion Tuesday allowing campus leaders to develop a comprehensive parking strategy addressing current and future needs of campus drivers.
“We’ve got to find exactly the right location for those new parking structures and get those moving at a considerable pace,” said Randall.
