Jazz, Mammoth switching healthcare provider; building new Intermountain sports medicine center

Intermountain Health, in partnership with Smith Entertainment Group, will build a 60,000-square-foot medical and sports training center adjacent to the Mammoth Ice Center and a future Utah Jazz practice facility at the Shops at South Town in Sandy. (courtesy Intermountain Health)

Ryan Smith, owner of the Utah Jazz and Utah Mammoth, front, and Rob Allen, president and CEO of Intermountain Health, announce a partnership to provide healthcare for the teams and build a new medical and training facility adjacent to the teams’ practice facilities in Sandy. (Courtesy of the Utah Jazz)

The Jazz and Mammoth are getting a new healthcare provider — and a whole lot more. 

Smith Entertainment Group (SEG), owner of the Utah Jazz of the National Basketball Association (NBA) and the Utah Mammoth of the National Hockey League (NHL), has announced a new partnership with Utah-based Intermountain Health. In addition to Intermountain becoming the primary healthcare provider for athletes from the two sports franchises, the two companies will combine to build a state-of-the-art sports medicine center as part of SEG’s developing sports campus in Sandy.

Scheduled to open in 2028, the Intermountain Health Sports Performance Center will be located adjacent to the Utah Mammoth Ice Center and the future Utah Jazz practice facility. SEG said the facility will be the only sports and health campus in the NBA and NHL with two teams under a single ownership group and a single healthcare provider, creating a destination for high-performance athletes and active individuals seeking “advanced recovery, wellness and innovative healthcare.”

On July 1, Intermountain will replace University of Utah Health as the medical services provider for the two teams. UofU Health has been associated with the Jazz since the two organizations announced an exclusive five-year partnership in December 2014. The agreement has seen subsequent renewals but will end as Intermountain takes over.

Intermountain Health is a nonprofit healthcare system headquartered in Salt Lake City operating 33 hospitals and over 400 clinics across six states in the Mountain West. The system employs over 68,000 people.

The 60,000-square foot Intermountain Health Sports Performance Center will be built between the recently completed Mammoth Ice Center and a new Jazz practice facility planned for nearby. SEG said that the medical and training center will significantly expand access to cutting-edge athletic performance technology, advanced training methodologies and industry-leading sports medicine services. The center will offer comprehensive clinical services such as primary care, sports medicine, orthopedics, physical medicine and rehabilitation, along with sports performance science, performance therapy, advanced diagnostics and imaging. It will also house an orthopedic ambulatory surgery center.

The medical complex will be available not only to Jazz and Mammoth players but will serve youth competitors and sports-minded community members with access to AI-enabled performance insights and sophisticated movement analysis that connects biomechanics and assesses injury risk, guiding training, recovery and return-to-play protocols.

Construction on the medical facility has begun with opening projected for mid-2028.

“The SEG sports campus — with two brand new, state-of-the-art practice facilities combined with a world-class sports medicine center — is unlike anything in the NBA and NHL,” said Ryan Smith, chairman and CEO of Smith Entertainment Group. “Having a single ownership group and a single healthcare provider across both teams will allow us to innovate, share best practices, and build toward the integrated care that is the future and continue to invest in proactive care, health and longevity for our teams and the community.”

“Partnering with Intermountain Health on this campus is one more important step in creating Utah as a destination market for professional athletes and our ability to serve the community at large,” Smith continued. “Intermountain is nationally renowned as a model health system, operating nine of the top 100 hospitals in the U.S. Together, Intermountain and SEG are creating a best-in-class resource for Utah Jazz and Mammoth athletes while also elevating the care and performance resources for the entire community.”

As SEG’s healthcare partner, Intermountain Health will provide comprehensive, connected care that includes injury prevention, orthopedic care, rehabilitation, performance optimization, reconditioning and functional recovery support, an SEG release said.

Select Health, a health insurance company and an Intermountain subsidiary, will also become the health insurer for both teams under the agreement. Select Health is a nonprofit company serving over 900,000 members in Utah, Idaho, Nevada and Colorado.

“Caring for these athletes extends our mission and reflects the expertise and support our caregivers provide daily to patients and families across our communities,” said Rob Allen, president and CEO of Intermountain Health. “Our sports medicine teams will work alongside the Jazz and Mammoth organizations to provide innovative, connected care aimed at helping each player perform safely and at their best. This same trusted expertise is here for athletes at every level, as well as for all those seeking our care and support.”

“We are thrilled to partner with the Smith Entertainment Group,” Allen continued. “They are committed to contributing to a high quality of life and health for Utahns and delivering world-class professional sports. Their deep investment in the Sandy City and Salt Lake County communities, and the Utah Jazz, establishing the Utah Mammoth and transforming the Delta Center underscore their dedication to a vibrant Utah.”

SEG has a growing reputation for operating franchises that are attractive to professional athletes. Smith and his management team expect the new healthcare arrangement to further that standing.

“Ryan and Ashley (Smith) continue to create the best player experience in the NBA,” Keyonte George, a guard with Utah Jazz, said in SEG’s release announcing the new arrangement. “Having this medical partnership right at our new practice facility will be instrumental for our players’ health and wellness.”

“We are fortunate to have incredible ownership that values the importance of health and wellness in its players and is willing to invest in world-class resources,” said Clayton Keller, Utah Mammoth forward. “Having Intermountain Health’s expertise right on our campus is tremendous for our team.”

The new facility will continue the development of the Shops at South Town in Sandy that SEG bought two years ago with the intent to develop a destination for sports, entertainment, gathering and community.