Karl Malone dunked the ball on a pass from John Stockton to open the Zions Bank Basketball Center.

Miller was joined in today's grand opening celebration by members of the Jazz team, coaches and executives of Zions Bank, as well as several hundred invited guests at the new center. The Zions Bank Basketball Center is located near downtown Salt Lake City at 1414 South 500 West, next to Miller's new Ford Truckland and adjacent to Prestige Financial, Miller's automotive financing entity and cost in excess of $5 million to build. Representatives of Zions Bank, a long-time Jazz sponsor and business partner, included Scott Anderson, President and CEO; John D’Arcy, Executive Vice Presdent, Commercial Lending; George Hoffman, Executive Vice President, Retail Banking and Rob Brough, Senior Vice President.

"The Zions Bank Basketball Center was designed to be the premier basketball training and practice facility in the NBA," Miller said. "We studied some of the newer facilities around the country and together with input from our coaches, trainers and our players, designed a facility that will give our team all of the advantages for game preparation, rehabilitation and weight training."

Team President Dennis Haslam, who has overseen construction efforts at the site said he was pleased with the work of the hundreds of construction workers, architects and suppliers who brought the facility on line in just under six months. "From start to finish, there has been a spirit of cooperation and energy among those who have worked at this site to help us accomplish the goal we set to make this the NBA's finest facility. The Zions Bank Basketball Center is just that, and now with the assistance of one of our most loyal and long-time partners, Zions Bank, we will be able to maintain the competitive edge that continues to point us towards winning an NBA Championship," Haslam said. "The Zions Bank Basketball Center is another indication of Larry Miller’s commitment to this team and to NBA basketball in this state."

"I have had the chance to visit most of the NBA team facilities around the league," said Kevin O'Connor, vice president of basketball operations. "This will be the best in the NBA. I have been pleased with the efforts of everyone involved in this project. Our trainers and coaches have been invaluable in designing this center to meet the needs of our players."

Zions Bank contributed an undisclosed amount of money to obtain a multi-year title sponsorship of the basketball center, which also includes other advertising benefits with Jazz Broadcasting and KJZZ-TV. Founded in 1873, Zions Bank will be celebrating its 130th year of serving the communities of Utah this year. Utah’s oldest financial institution, Zions Bank is the only local bank with a statewide distribution of branches. Zions Bank Operations 127 full service branches in communities throughout Utah, with 23 full services branches in Idaho. As Utah’s only local bank, Zions Bank was Utah’s first chartered savings bank and first trust company.

• The new Zions Bank Basketball Center is situated in a remodeled tilt-up concrete building on a 17.8 acre site located at 1420 South 500 West in Salt Lake City. The facility consists of two levels with 40,111 square feet of floor area on the first level and 10,879 square feet on the second level, resulting in a total area of 50,990 square feet. An adjoining 53,400 square foot one story tilt-up concrete building to the south was remodeled in conjunction with this project and houses the Larry H. Miller Prestige Financial Services Corporate Headquarters.
• The main feature of the Zions Bank Basketball Center is two full size NBA courts, 94 ft x 50 ft. Total court area is 22,200 square feet. Retractable bleacher seating is provided to accommodate 338 spectators at court level. Court flooring is a state of the art permanent, suspended DIN certified maple floor system.
• FFKR Architects of Salt Lake City did the building design and construction was coordinated by Sahara Construction of Bountiful, Utah. Zions Bank Basketball Center First Level Features:
  • A secure public entrance and lobby with monumental staircase and hydraulic elevator for access to the second level.
  • A separate and secure player, coach and personnel entrance from a controlled access screened parking area.
  • A team locker room with 20 custom, open face wardrobe-type lockers with associated shower, restroom and steam room with direct access to the courts, training and hydrotherapy areas.
  • An auxiliary locker room with lockers and associated shower and restroom areas with direct access to the courts, training and hydrotherapy areas.
  • Two additional auxiliary locker rooms adjacent to the weight training and cardio workout area with direct access to the courts to accommodate the Jazz dancers and facility guests as needed.
  • Training area with treatment and taping tables, a team trainer's office and a doctor's office.
  • Hydrotherapy area featuring a 14 ft. x 7 ft. exercise/therapy pool, hot spa, cold plunge, two whirlpools and a shower.
  • A state of the art press room opening directly to the courts with portable, raised camera and podium platforms, plug-in camera feeds to remote television trucks, work counters with data feeds for media personnel and an adjoining acoustically isolated Jazz Broadcasting radio and television interview room.
  • Kitchen facility for catering special events requiring food service and a concessions area open to the courts.
  • A 2200 square foot weight training and cardio workout area opening directly to the court area.
  • Laundry, storage, public restrooms and other associated support areas.
• Zions Bank Basketball Center Second Level Features:
  • An upper lobby accessible to the first level via open staircase or elevator.
  • A 1600 square foot board room featuring 70 lineal feet of windows overlooking the practice courts and all of the appointments desired by a future facility sponsor i.e. furnishings, conference capabilities, food service, etc.
  • A holding/warming kitchen adjoining the board room for food service capability.
  • Private offices for the Jazz coaching staff overlooking the courts.
  • A cantilevered camera platform overlooking the courts.
  • A state of the art theater for reviewing game film, with tiered seating for 58 fixed movie theater type seats.
  • A game film edit and video storage area associated with the theater.
  • A player's lounge with window views to downtown and the Wasatch mountains to the East.
  • A coaches' locker room.
  • A conference room.
  • Stairway accessing the private player, coach and personal entry of the first level.
  • Public restrooms and other required support features.