Larry H. Miller
Larry Miller | |
|---|---|
| File:Larryhmiller.jpg | |
| Born | April 26, 1944 |
| Occupation | Entrepreneur |
| Spouse | Gail Miller |
| Website | The Larry Miller Group |
Lawrence Horne "Larry H." Miller (born April 26, 1944) is a Utah businessman and philanthropist. He is well known as the owner of the NBA's Utah Jazz. Miller is also the owner of an automotive dealership, and a variety of other business ventures including Prestige Financial, Jordan Commons, Larry H. Miller Megaplex Theatres, KJZZ-TV, Miller Motorsports Park, the FANZZ chain of sports apparel stores, and the EnergySolutions Arena (previously called "Delta Center"). Miller attracted national media attention when he pulled the movie Brokeback Mountain from his Megaplex Theatres in early 2006.
Biography
Miller was born as Lawrence Horne West to Mary Lorille Horne and Howard Hanley West. His parents divorced in 1946, and in June 1948 his mother married Frank Soren Miller. Larry was legally adopted by his stepfather in September 1949, and his last name was changed to Miller.
Following his graduation from West High School, Miller was employed in construction by his uncle William Reid Horne until 1964, when he went to work for American Auto Parts. Softball and drag racing, two of his interests, helped launch his careers in sports and automobiles. From 1963 to 1970, Miller raced cars, and from 1962 to 1985 he was an outstanding fast-pitch softball player, pitching in the Salt Lake City Metro League and the Denver Metro League.
In 1966, he became a parts manager and later manager of the parts and service departments for a Utah auto dealer. In 1970, he moved to Denver to play softball and work as a parts manager for two Denver Toyota dealerships. In 1978, he was promoted to operations manager over five Toyota stores.
Miller married his high school sweetheart, Karen Gail Saxon, on March 25, 1965. Their marriage has produced five children: Gregory Scott, Roger Lawrence, Stephen Frank, Karen Rebecca, and Bryan Joseph.
Larry H. Miller lives in a house up on the hill in the avenues in Salt Lake City. It can be seen from down town Salt Lake provided there are no trees or building obstructing the view.
Business accomplishments
Miller formed a business partnership with Horne to purchase a Toyota dealership in the Salt Lake City suburb of Murray, Utah. It opened on May 1, 1979 as Larry H. Miller Toyota. In October 1981, Miller bought out his uncle's share in the business. Throughout the 1980's and early 1990's, he acquired a number of automobile dealerships in Utah, Colorado, Arizona, and New Mexico, creating the Larry H. Miller Automotive Group. In 1993, Automotive Age listed him as the fifteenth largest U.S. automotive dealer, with nineteen dealerships.
After a failed attempt to start a television outlet on the last remaining VHF frequency in the Utah market, Miller purchased Salt Lake City independent station KXIV in February 1993. He later changed the call letters to KJZZ as a reference to the Jazz, whose games are televised on the channel. The station, once in debt, now turns a comfortable profit and broadcasts to parts or all of six states.
Miller also owns the Larry H. Miller Megaplex, Prestige Financial, Miller Motorsports Park (opened in 2006), Fanzz (a chain of sports clothing & memorabilia outlets), and the successful Jordan Commons cinema/restaurant complex in Sandy, Utah.
Sports involvement
Miller became a co-owner of the Utah Jazz when he purchased a 50% interest in the team on April 11, 1985 for $8 million. On June 16, 1986, he purchased the remaining 50% from Sam Battistone for $14 million.
Miller built the EnergySolutions Arena in Downtown Salt Lake City (formerly the Delta Center) to house the Jazz NBA team.
Miller was an unpaid consultant in the project to construct Franklin Covey Field, now the home of the Los Angeles Angels' AAA affiliate Salt Lake Bees. He purchased the team in 2005, changing the name from the Salt Lake Stingers to the Bees.
He also owned the Salt Lake Golden Eagles ice hockey team, which he purchased in September 1989.
Miller also was the owner of the Utah Starzz WNBA team from 1997 until 2001. He sold the team to San Antonio Spurs owner Peter Holt who moved the team to San Antonio and renamed them the San Antonio Silver Stars.
Miller also owns a racetrack in Utah, Miller Motorsports Park, a road racing course.
The Larry H. Miller Tour of Utah presented by Zions Bank is an annual professional road bicycle racing stage race.
Public service
Miller has contributed to a variety of causes and organizations, including a $21 million dollar training center for law enforcement and corrections officers,[2] as well as a significant investment towards a campus for Salt Lake Community College, which are both named in his honor.
In November 1995, he formed Larry H. Miller Charities, whose mission statement is, "We give back to our communities by focusing our united service and corporate giving on youth and children with an emphasis on health and education." Since its inception, the foundation has raised more than $1 million, distributing those funds to charitable organizations in the communities where the Larry H. Miller Group does business.
His public service has been recognized by numerous awards, including the Utah Minuteman Award from the Utah National Guard in 1990, an honorary Doctor of Laws degree from the University of Utah in 1991, and the Tourist Achievement Award from the Salt Lake Convention and Visitors Bureau in 1992.
Larry H. Miller enjoys supporting local charities.
References
- ^ Owners - Larry Miller, Utah Jazz at HoopsHype, accessed 16 May 2007
- ^ Pat Reavy, Miller building police training center., Deseret News, July 14, 2005.