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SALT LAKE CITY — The University of Utah's new baseball field now has a name, but it will be another season before the team moves in to play games.
The university's board of trustees voted Tuesday to name the field within the forthcoming 1,200-seat stadium Charlie Monfort Field at America First Ballpark to recognize a $10 million donation from Monfort, co-founder and co-owner of the Colorado Rockies and a University of Utah alumnus, toward the new stadium.
Monfort graduated from the University of Utah with a degree in marketing and business management in 1982 and has maintained ties to the university since. He remains a sustaining member of the university's national advisory council.
But after graduating, he returned to his native Colorado, where he became a business executive and eventually a member of the group that founded the Colorado Rockies in the 1990s. He's still a co-owner along with his brother, Richard Monfort.
"It's a true honor for me to be in a position to help the University of Utah put together a world-class baseball stadium for what is fast becoming a top-tier program," Monfort said in a statement after the vote. "My experience at the U. allowed me to start the Colorado Rockies baseball club, so it seemed like a perfect fit to allow our baseball student-athletes the opportunity to play in a stadium we can all be proud of."
The university previously reached a multiyear naming rights deal with America First Credit Union for the stadium's name. The board also agreed Tuesday to name various rooms and other components of the future stadium after people who also gave major donations to help build the facility, which is now expected to be completed in time for the 2026 baseball season.
However, it's unclear yet where the team will play its games in 2025. A university spokesperson told KSL.com that the Utes are expected to be able to practice on the field of the new stadium located on Guardsman Way next year, but the university is still "evaluating options" for games.
The spokesperson didn't know if Smith's Ballpark was among the options being considered. The Utes have played their games at the stadium for several years, which has primarily been the home of the Salt Lake Bees since 1994. But the Bees are leaving for a new stadium in South Jordan's Daybreak community set to open in 2025.
Their move set off a chain reaction. Salt Lake City announced it would look for a new use for the ballpark's space hours after the relocation was announced. Salt Lake City planners said this month they believe a plan will be finalized next year, and construction would likely pick up in 2026 at the earliest, leaving it unclear how the stadium will be used between the Bees' move and any project construction.
The University of Utah unveiled plans for a new ballpark at its existing practice field on Guardsman Way as this all unfolded. Then, in March, Salt Lake City Council voted to authorize "below-market" negotiations between the university and the city over a slice of Sunnyside Park land that would be used for the project.
The university would lease the land for $99 over 99 years but send $4.2 million for investments to improve the park, according to the proposed terms. The university intended to have the stadium ready for the 2025 season, and it wasn't immediately clear what has led to the delay.
However, Mark Harlan, the university's athletic director, said he believes Charlie Monfort Field at America First Ballpark will provide "a major boost" for the baseball program once it does open.
"We are incredibly grateful for the tremendous support of Charlie Monfort to help make possible the construction of an on-campus home for our baseball program," he said in a statement. "Charlie has taken great pride in making a significant impact to elevate our baseball program, and it is a high priority for our department to provide a home stadium that allows the Utes to compete at the highest level in the Big 12 and nationally."
