EnergySolutions Arena — Former Envirocare provides new name for Delta Center
With an embattled Delta Air Lines struggling to emerge from bankruptcy and facing the prospect of a hostile takeover by US Airways, the Utah Jazz on Monday dropped the Delta Center name from its building, covering it with banners announcing the new name of EnergySolutions Arena.
EnergySolutions is a Salt Lake-based company, formerly known as Envirocare, that disposes of low-level radioactive and hazardous waste in Tooele County.
Financial terms of the 10-year naming rights deal were not disclosed, but such deals for professional sports stadiums typically involve millions of dollars annually. Delta Air Lines reportedly paid $20 million to $25 million total for the first 10 years of its contract.
A small crowd of EnergySolutions and Jazz employees on Monday cheered the announcement as the new name was unveiled inside the arena. But on the street, public reaction was less enthusiastic.
Olivia Egbert, a Salt Lake resident, said the name change was unfortunate.
"From now on when people think about the Utah Jazz they will be thinking about nuclear waste," Egbert said. "EnergySolutions isn't something I really want to correlate with Jazz basketball."
"I think the Delta Center sounds better than 'EnergySolutions Arena,"' said Erickson, who added that she would continue to refer to the building as the Delta Center. "I think that most people still will."
Dennis Haslam, president of Larry H. Miller Sports and Entertainment, said it was important for the team to have a naming-rights partner that was a Utah-based company.
Haslam said several other companies were considered. EnergySolutions was not the first pick, but Haslam declined to say what other companies were contenders.
"This is a partnership we have been working on for some time," Haslam said. "EnergySolutions has the same kinds of ideals that we have. It's a very innovative company and progressive."
The name change brought a quick response from environmental groups.
Vanessa Pierce, director of HEAL Utah, a Salt Lake organization opposed to nuclear power and toxic waste, said the group has fought efforts by EnergySolutions to expand.
"From a sports angle it's no score for Utah, it's a foul," Pierce said. "Branding our state's sports complex with the name of a massive nuclear waste dump isn't the PR that we want for Utah.
"EnergySolutions' bottom line is tied to bringing in other states' nuclear waste and dumping it in our back yard. This isn't the type of business we should be promoting in Utah."
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