Larry H. Miller

Larry H. Miller (April 26, 1944 – February 20, 2009) was an American businessman from Utah. He owned the National Basketball Association (NBA)'s Utah Jazz and of the Salt Lake Bees, a Minor League Baseball team. Miller and his companies also owned more than 60 automotive dealerships throughout the western United States, and a variety of other ventures, including Prestige Financial Services, Jordan Commons (a restaurant and entertainment complex), Megaplex Theatres, KJZZ-TV, Miller Motorsports Park, the advertising agency Saxton Horne, and Vivint Smart Home Arena. The Fanzz chain of sports apparel stores was also owned by LHM Group until its sale to Ames Watson Capital in 2018.

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 careers in sports and automobiles. From 1963 to 1970, Miller raced cars, and from 1962 to 1985 he was a fast-pitch softball player, pitching in the Salt Lake City and Denver metro leagues.

In 1976, 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 Toyota dealerships. In 1978, he was promoted to operations manager over five Toyota stores.

Larry H. Miller was a lifelong member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (LDS Church).

Miller married his high school sweetheart, Gail Saxton, on March 25, 1965. They are the parents of five children: Gregory Scott, Roger Lawrence (August 21, 1968 – August 18, 2013), Stephen Frank,Karen Rebecca and Bryan Joseph. He was the grandfather of twentyone grandchildren.

Car dealerships

Miller partnered with William Horne to purchase a Toyota dealership in the Salt Lake City suburb of Murray. 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 1980s and early 1990s, he acquired a number of automobile dealerships in Utah, Colorado, Arizona, and New Mexico, creating the Larry H. Miller Automotive Group. In 2007, Selling Power listed him as the tenth-largest U.S. automotive dealer, with 42 dealerships and sales of $13.5 million.

Television

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-TV as a reference to the Utah Jazz.

From 1995 to 2001, KJZZ-TV was a charter UPN affiliate. In October 2000, Miller demanded the right to breach his contract with the network if it increased its "urban/ethnic programming" to more than two hours per week, due to lack of minorities within the Salt Lake Metropolitan.

Movie theaters

Miller also owned the Larry H. Miller Megaplex Theatres, Prestige Financial Services, Miller Motorsports Park, Saxton Horne Communications, Fanzz (a chain of sports clothing & memorabilia outlets), and the Jordan Commons cinema/restaurant complexes along the Wasatch Front. Today there are 11 Megaplex Theaters located in shopping centers, including ten in Utah at The Gateway mall in downtown Salt Lake City, Jordan Commons in Sandy, The District in South Jordan, The Junction in Ogden, Thanksgiving Point in Lehi, Cedar City, Centerville, Logan, St. George, West Valley City, and Vineyard; as well as one in Mesquite, Nevada. Together the theaters total 191 screens.

The cancellation of Brokeback Mountain brought international attention to the theater. The Gay Lesbian Bisexual Transgender Community Center of Utah and other gay rights groups urged its members to avoid patronizing Miller's various businesses.

John Amaechi, a retired center who finished his career with Miller's Utah Jazz in 2003, publicly announced his homosexuality on February 7, 2007. Miller issued a statement the following day, conceding that he had made a bad decision in pulling Brokeback Mountain. He described it as a "knee-jerk reaction" and said that he would probably allow the film to be shown if faced with the same decision again; however he said he was still unsure how he would react to an openly gay player on his basketball team. Miller later explained the cancellation, saying that he was concerned about "getting away from the traditional families", what he called "a very dangerous thing." Miller noted that several individuals purchased automobiles from his dealerships as a form of support for the decision. He also expressed regret for any feelings that were hurt as a result.

Sports

Miller became a co-owner of the Utah Jazz when he purchased a 50% interest in the team on April 11, 1985, for $9.5 million. On June 16, 1986, he purchased the remaining 50% from Sam Battistone for $17.3 million.

Miller built the Vivint Smart Home Arena (formerly the Delta Center) in downtown Salt Lake City to house the Jazz NBA team.

Miller was an unpaid consultant in the project to construct Smith's Ballpark (formerly Spring Mobile Ballpark), now the home of the Los Angeles Angels' Triple-A affiliate Salt Lake Bees. He purchased the team in 2003 and changed 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 was also the owner of the Utah Starzz WNBA team (Starzz referencing a former successful ABA team, the Utah Stars and the double-z in Jazz). Miller sold the team in 2002 to San Antonio Spurs owner Peter Holt who moved the team to San Antonio and renamed them twice, first as the San Antonio Silver Stars and then as the San Antonio Stars. In 2017, the team was bought by MGM Resorts International and moved to Las Vegas as the Las Vegas Aces.

The Millers owned the former Miller Motorsports Park, a road racing course that has held domestic and international car and motorcycle racing events.

The Larry H. Miller Tour of Utah is an annual professional road bicycle racing stage race.

The sports complex of the BYU Cougars is named after Miller, who was a major benefactor of the project.

Hospitality

In July 2000, Miller was sued by Casa Bonita, a Lakewood, Colorado restaurant for violation of intellectual property rights and unfair competition. The suit alleged that Miller's restaurant, The Mayan, was a copy of the Colorado eatery. According to the suit, Miller had visited Casa Bonita several times beginning in 1996, and asked to see the books.

Miller had been in declining health for several years. In June 2008, Miller suffered a severe heart attack, and was hospitalized for 59 days with complications that included kidney failure and gastrointestinal bleeding, which required a blood transfusion. In October, he developed a bone infection and diabetic ulcers on one foot that required outpatient surgery. On January 23, 2009, Miller underwent surgery to amputate both legs six inches below the knee, a result of complications from type 2 diabetes.

On February 20, 2009, surrounded by family at his home, Miller died of complications from type II diabetes.

NBA Commissioner David Stern issued a statement on the passing of Miller: "It is with great sadness that I offer condolences to Gail and the Miller family on behalf of the entire NBA family. Larry's legacy extends beyond the NBA as he touched many lives in the Salt Lake City region through his business ventures and charitable endeavors. The NBA lost a great leader, colleague and friend today. We will miss him."

Miller contributed to a variety of causes and organizations, including a $21 million training center for law enforcement and corrections officers, as well as a significant investment towards a campus for Salt Lake Community College, which are both named in his honor.

His public service was 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 Campus for Salt Lake Community College
• Larry H. Miller Field
• Larry & Gail Miller Public Safety Education and Training Center — Salt Lake Community College Miller Campus
• Miller Automotive Training Center — Salt Lake Community College Miller Campus
• Miller Corporate Partnership Center — Salt Lake Community College Miller Campus
• Miller Free Enterprise Center — Salt Lake Community College Miller Campus
• Miller Professional Development Center — Salt Lake Community College Miller Campus
• Miller Motorsports Park
• Larry H. Miller Tour of Utah  — bicycle race
• Larry H. Miller Softball Complex
• Larry H. Miller Court at Vivint Smart Home Arena
• Miller Cafe, Lassonde Studios, University of Utah