Larry Miller

One of Salt Lake City's most prominent businessmen has passed away.

Larry Miller, best known as the owner of the Utah Jazz and the Miller Group of auto dealerships, died this afternoon as the result of complications from diabetes. He was 64.

More can be found here.

Larry Miller has shaped the face of Utah in ways big and small. Possibly his largest contribution to bringing Salt Lake into national prominence was when he purchased the struggling Jazz from New Orleans and made them into a championship contender in Utah. Through decades of patience, he built the team into an enterprise that has reshaped the face of downtown Salt Lake City.

That doesn't even begin to mention Mr. Miller's own charity efforts, which I cannot do justice to.

Though he had critics, my own experience found that Larry Miller also had more than a few fervent fans. Mr. Miller was a community booster in the sense few consider doing today - he believed that in building his community up, as his hometown prospered so would he. Mr. Miller took some big gambles, and they paid off for all us.

So I'll say something Larry Miller probably didn't hear very often: Thanks, Mr. Miller. You made our city and state a better place.