Miller’s Legacy Much More Than Just ‘All That Jazz’

Known mainly for his strong business acumen and philanthropic efforts, Larry Miller also built many notable projects in Utah, including the Delta Center, Franklin Covey Field, Jordan Commons, Miller MotorSports Park and MegaPlex 20, among others. Sahara, Inc. founder and CEO Tom Mabey built Miller’s first project – a Hyundai car dealership – and constructed more than 170 projects for Miller over the course of 24 years totaling approximately $1 billion.

When Utah Jazz owner Larry H. Miller passed away February 20 at the age of 64 due to complications from type 2 diabetes, he left behind a legacy far greater than just Utah’s only professional sports franchise, which he purchased in 1985-86 for $27 million.

Tom Mabey (left) and Larry Miller shared a passion for auto racing – the two men are pictured at the LeMans Classic in France in 2004. (Photo courtesy Sahara, Inc.)

In addition to owning more than 40 car dealerships in seven states, Miller built an array of interesting construction projects the past two decades, the crown jewel of which was the Delta Center (now Energy Solutions Arena) in 1991.
 
Virtually every project Miller engaged in was built by general contractor Sahara, Inc. of Bountiful, Utah. Sahara founder and CEO Tom Mabey, an engineer by trade, met Miller through a mutual friend in 1985, and said over the course of the last 24 years, the two worked on more than 170 projects totaling $1 billion.

Besides building landmark, state-of-the-art projects together, Miller and Mabey also shared an intense passion for auto racing – Miller’s coffin was actually painted to resemble a vintage blue Shelby Cobra Mustang (Miller’s favorite car), including two white racing stripes down the middle. Mabey said Miller’s passing stirred up dozens of prominent memories the two men shared.

“There have been thoughts of deep sadness in losing him from a personal standpoint,” says Mabey. “He was a great friend and we’ve known each other for 24 years. Larry was still relatively young and he had a lot of good he was prepared to do to benefit our state. But I also recognize, looking at his life, that any of us could be proud of the life he had. I’ve also been quite amazed by the outpouring of support I’ve received from people who knew me as a friend of Larry’s. His influence has been felt in many, many places throughout the world.”

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Mabey acknowledges that his relationship with Miller – they were introduced by a mutual friend – is one of the main reasons for his firm’s construction success. He says all but a couple of projects were agreed upon with a simple handshake– a rarity in today’s hyper-litigious society.

“Larry was our first client – we built a Hyundai dealership for him,” Mabey says. “When we first met, we developed our business relationship on a handshake. We figure we’ve done over $1 billion of construction in the last 24 years, and it’s all been virtually on a handshake. That’s an incredible experience to have with somebody. He gave us some great opportunities to build some fun projects. Larry was also one of our best marketers – he always had a kind word for us. The fact we had such a long-lasting relationship should say something about they way he does business, and the way we do business as well.

Mabey says the Delta Center was perhaps the most intense, career-defining project the two men worked on together, while Miller MotorSports Park in Tooele County, Utah was one of the most satisfying from a personal interest standpoint.

“Building the Delta Center was a defining moment in Larry’s life from a business standpoint with the Jazz – that project was huge for him and huge for us,” Mabey says. “It helped establish Sahara’s course.

“Miller MotorSports Park was a lot of fun to build for both of us,” he continues. “We both love cars and car racing, and it was great to be involved in something of that magnitude that was so dear to our hearts. Larry was very hands-on with all the projects we built for him; he got involved with every detail of a project.”

Mabey says he was able to spend some good quality time with Miller in the months prior to his death, which he appreciates.

“Larry coined a statement when he started having health problems last year that said ‘go about doing good, until there’s too much good in the world’,” Mabey says. “I think it defined Larry and what he was about.”

In addition to our always popular Top General Contractors Survey, this issue of Intermountain Contractor includes comments and perspectives from several prominent leaders of general contractor firms in the Intermountain region, and how they’re dealing with today’s tough economic climate. Also, we take a look at the Associated General Contractors of America’s 90th annual convention, which was held Mar. 4-7 in San Diego. During the convention, AGC of Utah president/CEO Rich Thorn was recognized by the association for his service this past year as chairman of the Executive Leadership Council.

Thorn grew up in a construction-oriented family – his grandfather, Ashel O. Thorn, owned a prominent heavy-highway contracting firm in Springville, Utah. Thorn also learned the value of politics at an early age; his mother, Karen Thorn, served as an executive assistant in Washington D.C. under two Utah senators in the 60’s, when Thorn was in elementary school. Thorn says the sacrifice of time and travel he made serving as ELC chair was well worth the experiences he gained in return.

I’ve known Rich Thorn personally for more than 30 years – he married my step-sister, Sherrie, in 1978, back when I was just a young pup. I’ve had the privilege of working with him on a professional level since 1998, and appreciate his knowledge of the industry, his passion for construction, and his sincere interest in helping his members run successful, profitable, and safe companies.