Photos by Sean MacDonald, Stadium Journey
Stadium Info FANFARE Score: 3.71
Maverik Center 3200 S Decker Lake Dr West Valley City, UT 84119
Year Opened: 1997
Capacity: 10,100
No Longer Unique in Utah
In 1995, Salt Lake City was awarded the 2002 Winter Olympics, and one year later, construction began on an arena in suburban West Valley City that would be the main venue for both men's and women's hockey. The E Center opened in 1997 and immediately housed the Utah Grizzlies, an AHL franchise that spent eight seasons there before being suspended. Fortunately, there was a dormant ECHL franchise that was purchased and moved to Utah, taking the Grizzlies name and ensuring there was no downtime in terms of hockey tenancy.
For 20 years, the Grizzlies have been the only pro hockey team in Utah but all that changed when the Arizona Coyotes moved to Salt Lake City to take up residence in the Delta Center. This will present challenges to the Grizzlies, who must now compete with the big boys. It is a tall task, and Stadium Journey paid a visit to the Maverik Center (the arena changed its name in 2010 when convenience store concern Maverik bought the naming rights) to see how the team is holding up.
Food & Beverage 4
For the Sunday afternoon game we attended, many of the concession stands were closed as only about a quarter of the seats were filled, but those that were open had a good selection of items. The most common stand is the Salt City Grille, where a variety of baskets range from $13 (cheeseburger, chicken tender) to $15 (western BBQ burger, bacon cheeseburger, teriyaki burger). Poutine, a Canadian staple, is $11.50, while a corn dog is $7.50.
More typical options are found at Crafty Pete's Snack Shack, with hot dogs or popcorn running $6.50, while a pretzel is a buck more. There are a couple of specialty stands too, with Thirst Pretzels and Beignets a good local option with a salted or cinnamon sugar pretzel bite cup for $6, while three beignets with either powdered or cinnamon sugar are $8. They also have 'mixers' which are drinks where you can combine soda, flavor shots such as coconut, peach, and pineapple, purees, cream, and fruit. At $6.75 for 32 ounces and $8.50 for 44 ounces, these seem like bargains.
For those with a sweet tooth, the Ice Cream Shop has sugar cones for $5.50, waffle cones for $8, and simple bowls for $8.50, with portions quite generous. You can also enjoy a root beer float for $7.50.
In terms of beverages, Coca-Cola products are served with 30-ounce cups costing $6.75, while the 40-ouncers are $8.50. Bottled water is $5 and Powerade is $6.50. For those looking for a beer, domestic options are $13.50, while a premium choice will set you back an extra couple of bucks.
Atmosphere 3
The arena is surrounded by parking lots and there are a few things to note before entering, including a sculpture of two generic players fighting for an invisible puck that is located near the main entrance. There is also an Olympic cauldron at the entrance to the parking lot to remind fans of what happened here over two decades ago (and will happen again in 2034 as Salt Lake City will host the Games then). On the lower level outside, you can find a fearsome grizzly statue as well.
Inside, there are two seating bowls, though most of the upper bowl is closed off with tarps over the seats. There are a few sections of gold seats in the upper bowl but most fans stay down below, where red seats dominate the scene.
There are no club seats on the lower level so all sections are open to the public, while the suites are at the top of the bowl so the upper level is quite close to the ice. There are only four rows of seats in the upper level, so it is a bit easier to navigate too and it also has a carpeted concourse. It should be noted that upper deck seats are not sold online, though it seems like anyone can walk up to have a look around.
The scoreboard is four separate video boards, with those facing the nets significantly smaller than the ones facing the sidelines. I've seen this arrangement more and more and guess it is less expensive than one large scoreboard.
Neighborhood 4
The Maverik Center is in an area with little within walking distance, but there are a few eateries close by, including two sports bars: The Break Sports Grill, a more upscale spot with a good beer selection and quality food; and the Penalty Box Bar and Grill, which caters to a less affluent crowd and has a more limited menu. Chain restaurants include Applebee's and Cracker Barrel, while those who enjoy Mexican food will appreciate La Fountain, which is just a couple of minutes on foot away.
If you take the TRAX light rail one stop to the West Valley terminus, you can find a lot more including a WINGERS Restaurant and Alehouse and more importantly, an In-n-Out Burger.
There are three hotels just across the street, with the Holiday Inn and Suites and Staybridge Suites connected by a bridge, while My Place caters to a more long-term clientele and is generally slightly cheaper.
Fans 3
For the game we attended on a sunny Sunday afternoon, there were perhaps 3,000 on hand, only a quarter of capacity, but those that were there did cheer heartily. Most amusing is the chant that occurs whenever an opponent leaves the penalty box, the PA announcer shouts: “The Oilers are back at full strength!" and the crowd replies: “And they STILL SUCK!”
Those fans I talked to were very friendly and most were wearing some sort of Grizzly merchandise, suggesting that they are long-term supporters of the club.
Access 5
West Valley City is a suburb that is about 15 minutes by car from the airport and also reachable on the TRAX Green Line, though this takes about 45 minutes from the airport and 30 minutes from downtown Salt Lake City. The stop here is Decker Lake, from where the arena is just across the street.
For those driving, access is excellent, with plenty of parking which seems to exit easily onto the surrounding streets. Inside, the concourses are more than enough for the fans, and restrooms and concessions have typical waiting periods during intermissions but lines generally move quite fast.
Return on Investment 3
Tickets start at $19 online before fees, but these are exorbitant, sending the get-in price close to $29. This includes the $6 parking charge, with no discount for those who take transit, walk, or carpool. Still, that is a lot of money for third-tier hockey when the top level is just 30 minutes away.
There are some ticket specials for locals with a particular bank card, but for stadium journeyers, the secondary market might be your best bet. With parking included, however, and some decent food options, the overall ROI is about average for the ECHL.
Extras 4
During one intermission, there was a race featuring interns or some other hapless staff members dressed as Coca-Cola products. As with all ice-related races, this was pretty entertaining and a bit different.
The mountain views outside the large windows on both sides of the building offer a nice way to relax during intermissions.
The statue and cauldron are worth a point, as is the fact that the Canadian team signed a wall after they won gold in 2002 and this is still preserved, though not on public view. I'd like to see more Olympic history shown here as the interior is rather devoid of any meaningful displays.
Final Thoughts
Last year, 6,003 were here on a typical evening but this season has seen that number drop to 4,868; no doubt attendance has been hurt by the arrival of the NHL team. The Grizzlies will need a new and less expensive approach to compete with the Hockey Club and it will be interesting to see how they do things over the next few seasons. At this point, I don't think the club is in danger of moving, but as we saw with the Coyotes, things can happen fast, so if you want to see the Grizzlies in Maverik Center, you may want to plan sooner rather than later.
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