Larry H. Miller
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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 one of his theatres in early 2006.
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[edit] Biography
Miller was born as Lawrence Hanley 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 Jordan 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.
[edit] 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.
[edit] 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 (formally 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 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.
[edit] Public Service
Miller has contributed to a variety of causes and organizations, including a significant investment towards a campus for Salt Lake Community College, which is now 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.
[edit] Controversies
[edit] KJZZ-TV
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. The incident drew nationwide attention, and UPN promptly signed a deal with another station in the Salt Lake City market to carry UPN programming.
[edit] Casa Bonita lawsuit
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. According to a lawyer representing Casa Bonita, "Tourists will be confused and the distinctiveness of our identification will be blurred."[1]
[edit] Brokeback Mountain
On January 6, 2006, the film Brokeback Mountain was pulled from Miller's Megaplex 17 theater at the last minute after Miller learned from a radio reporter that the film featured a gay romance. Other R-rated films, such as the comedy Grandma's Boy and the violent horror film Hostel were still allowed to be shown. As a result, the business was accused of exhibiting bias against homosexuality, and Focus Features announced that because of the breach of contract, they would no longer do business with any Miller-owned properties, although no lawsuit was ever filed.[citation needed]
The cancellation 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. Jay Leno joked about the incident on The Tonight Show. Brokeback Mountain star Heath Ledger told Australian press that he didn't think the film was controversial, but added "I think maybe the Mormons in Utah do. I think it's hilarious and very immature of a society." [2]
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. [3]
In 2007, after former-Jazz player John Amaechi announced he was coming out, Miller said that he had made a bad decision in pulling Brokeback Mountain. He described his decision 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 not sure how he would react to an openly gay player on his basketball team.[1]
[edit] External links and references
- ^ Lya Wodraska, Miller says he now thinks 'Brokeback' ban was wrong, Salt Lake Tribune, February 8, 2007.
Categories: Articles with unsourced statements since February 2007 | All articles with unsourced statements | 1944 births | American entrepreneurs | American philanthropists | Living people | National Basketball Association executives | People from Utah | Utah Jazz | Utah Starzz | Women's National Basketball Association executives
