SALT LAKE CITY — When the NHL arrived in Utah six months ago, the Smith Entertainment Group knew they had to get to work if they wanted both the Utah Jazz and Utah Hockey Club to call the Delta Center home.
In addition to a brand new hockey locker room, the Jazz locker room also got a makeover.
"Coach Hardy wanted the players in a little tighter, more cohesive, more together," said Jim Olson, the president of Utah Jazz.
The shape and configuration were the biggest changes. The Jazz locker room used to be round, remodeled into a rectangular configuration which allows Head Coach Will Hardy to be closer and interact with the players better. The ceilings were also raised.
"Something you don't see, we spent time on the acoustics, so you can hear when you're watching video or when Coach is talking," said Olson.
The Utah Hockey Club locker room is adjacent to the Jazz, connected by a training area and weight room that the two organizations share.
"You don't have a Jazz game the same night you have a hockey game, so this is a shared space where the players can get worked on, taped up or any kind of training that they need," said Olson. "What was great about it was how well the teams accepted it. We're dealing with great professional athletes in both sports and there's things we can share and learn from each other."
At the end of the training space, there's a door that leads directly into the Utah Hockey Club's locker room. Unlike the Jazz, ventilation was a big part of hockey's space, with vents above and below each individual locker.
"We used to have a family lounge of the player's families, but we had to build this here so we could connect all the resources. We had to get the space right and big enough so we knocked down weight-bearing walls and our architects did a great job to get this done by opening night," said Olson.
The additional storage for hockey lockers is underneath their seats, with all their equipment and gear on shelves and hooks above. One major difference is that hockey teams need a locker room to put their street clothes.
"They actually have two lockers; you see the players pregame coming in their suits and there's not space for them to hang their clothes, so they come into their street lockers and can keep their clothes here," Olson said.
The ceiling is shaped like an ice rink and the team's puck logo sits in the center of the ceiling so the hockey superstition of never stepping on the logo doesn't have to be a worry.
The previous Jazz lockers were in great condition so those are now the away team's lockers. Right beside that space, you'll find the NHL away team's locker room. Everything is in one cohesive side of the arena, opposite of the TV cameras.
Olson said it was important for them to talk to players while building the new space.
"The hockey team told us everything they'd want in a locker room and we tried to build it out that way," Olson said.
The two teams have 82 total NHL and NBA home games that the Delta Center will host this season, all while more changes are being made throughout the arena and in the coming years to help enhance the fan experience and minimize any obstructed views.
