By JOHN COON Associated Press
SALT LAKE CITY (AP) — Outdoor hockey is coming to Utah.
The Utah Mammoth will host the 2027 Winter Classic at Rice-Eccles Stadium against the Colorado Avalanche. The date has not been announced for the game at the home of the University of Utah football team.
It’s set to be the first outdoor game for the franchise formerly known as the Phoenix and Arizona Coyotes and before that the Winnipeg Jets. The other 31 active teams had all taken part, making Utah the last to participate.
Owners Ryan and Ashley Smith have been praised by Commissioner Gary Bettman for just about everything they’ve done since buying the team and relocating it to Salt Lake City in 2024.
“This is a dream,” Ryan Smith said. “We actually came up here early in the process of even getting the team because we said this is what we want. We wanted our players to be able to have it.”
Rice-Eccles Stadium hosted the opening and closing ceremonies of the 2002 Winter Olympics and is scheduled to do so again when the Games return to Salt Lake City in 2034. It has a seating capacity of 51,444.
“This stadium sets up very well from a sight line perspective,” Bettman said. “There’s an intimacy here. We expect to have 50,000-plus here.”
Colorado is making its fourth outdoor appearance. The Avalanche are 1-2-0 in previous outdoor contests.
“The Avalanche organization is always proud to be in consideration for marquee events like this,” Colorado president of hockey operations Joe Sakic said in a news release. “We’re looking forward to being matched up with a great team and represent the Rocky Mountain region in a game that appeals to these two markets in this part of the country.”
Utah’s legacy as a winter sports destination makes the Winter Classic a natural fit for the state and a natural draw for the community, according to Ryan and Ashley Smith.
“We don’t hide from the winter here. Ashley Smith said. “We live in the mountains. It’s what we breathe. It’s very authentic to us and all of Utah.”
Alcohol sales will be permitted in the stadium during the Winter Classic because it is considered a private event. Athletic events involving the University of Utah prohibit alcohol from being sold inside the stadium during those events.
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AP NHL: https://apnews.com/hub/nhl