Larry H. Miller facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Larry H. Miller
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Miller speaking at the University of Utah in April 2006
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Lawrence Horne West
April 26, 1944 Salt Lake City, Utah, U.S.
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| Died | February 20, 2009 (aged 64) Salt Lake City, Utah, U.S.
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| Resting place | Salt Lake City Cemetery |
| Occupation | Entrepreneur |
| Spouse(s) | Gail Miller |
Larry H. Miller (born April 26, 1944 – died February 20, 2009) was a very successful American businessman. He was known for owning the National Basketball Association's (NBA) Utah Jazz team. He also owned the Salt Lake Bees, a minor league baseball team. Larry Miller's companies, called the LHM Group, grew to include over 60 car dealerships across the western United States. He also owned many other businesses, like movie theaters, a TV station, and a motorsports park.
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About Larry Miller's Early Life
Larry Miller was born Lawrence Horne West. His parents divorced when he was young. Later, his mother married Frank Soren Miller. Larry was adopted by his stepfather and changed his last name to Miller. He didn't meet his biological father until he was an adult.
Larry didn't get great grades in school. However, he was still a National Merit Scholar, which means he was very smart. He graduated from West High School but only went to college for six weeks.
Larry started working early. He worked in construction for his uncle. He also drove a truck and worked at an auto parts store. These early jobs taught him a lot about business.
Learning from Early Jobs
Larry worked at several car dealerships and gas stations. He often found that his employers didn't keep their promises about pay or hours. This experience taught him a valuable lesson. He realized that treating employees well was very important for a successful business. He learned that happy workers make a big difference.
Larry had a much better experience at Chuck Stevinson Toyota. He was hired to improve their parts department. He made it the best-selling Toyota parts department in the U.S. He did this by selling parts to customers all over the country, not just locally.
Sports and Family Life
Larry loved sports, especially softball and drag racing. He raced cars from 1963 to 1970. He also played fast-pitch softball for many years. His love for sports later led him to own professional sports teams.
Larry married his high school girlfriend, Gail Saxton, in 1965. They had five children together. He was also a grandfather to 21 grandchildren.
Larry Miller's Faith
Larry Miller was a member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. He became more involved with his church in 1975. He later became very committed to his faith.
He also helped fund a big project at Brigham Young University (BYU). This project, called The Joseph Smith Papers, collected important historical documents from the church. Larry donated $10 million and more money to this project.
Larry Miller's Businesses
Larry Miller built a huge business empire. He started with car dealerships and expanded into many other areas.
Car Dealerships
In 1979, Larry Miller bought his first car dealership, Toyota of Murray. He didn't have much money, but he believed he could make the dealership better. He worked hard to get loans and new cars.
His new dealership, Larry H. Miller Toyota, sold many more cars than before. He quickly bought more dealerships in other states like Washington, Idaho, and Arizona. The first few years were tough, but his businesses grew stronger.
Over the years, Larry Miller bought many more car dealerships. His company, the Larry H. Miller Automotive Group, became one of the largest car dealers in the U.S. He also started related businesses like an advertising agency and an insurance company. This helped his car business grow even more. In 2021, his family sold the dealerships for a huge amount of money.
Television and Entertainment
Larry Miller also owned a TV station in Salt Lake City. He bought it in 1993 and changed its name to KJZZ-TV. The name was a nod to his basketball team, the Utah Jazz.
He also owned Megaplex Theatres, a chain of movie theaters. These theaters are located in many cities in Utah and even one in Nevada. In total, they have 191 screens.
One time, his theaters stopped showing a movie called Brokeback Mountain. This caused a lot of discussion. Larry later said it was a "knee-jerk reaction" and he regretted it. He explained he was concerned about traditional families.
Other Businesses
Larry Miller's company also owned Prestige Financial Services and Miller Motorsports Park. He also owned Fanzz, a chain of stores that sold sports clothing and gear. These stores were later sold in 2018.
Larry Miller and Sports
Larry Miller is perhaps best known for his involvement in sports. He owned several professional sports teams.
Utah Jazz Basketball Team
In 1985, Larry Miller learned that the Utah Jazz basketball team might leave Utah. He loved the team and wanted to keep it in his home state. He offered to buy half of the team for $6.25 million. The team was losing money, and no one thought it would be a good investment.
Larry faced many challenges getting the money. But he managed to get a loan just minutes before the deadline. He became a co-owner of the Jazz in May 1985.
A little over a year later, he had a chance to sell his share for a profit. But he realized that if he sold, the team would move to another state. Larry decided to buy the rest of the team instead. He bought the remaining half of the Jazz in June 1986. He made a complex deal to make it happen.
Larry was a very passionate owner. He even had his own locker and wore a uniform to games. He attended almost every game, except on Sundays. Under his ownership, the Jazz became one of the most successful teams in the NBA.
He had close relationships with star players like John Stockton and Karl Malone. Larry also built the Delta Center (now Vivint Arena) in downtown Salt Lake City for the Jazz to play in.
In 2020, Larry Miller's family agreed to sell the Jazz team and the arena. They sold it to Ryan Smith for $1.66 billion. This was about 70 times more than what Larry originally paid! The deal ensures the team will stay in Utah.
Salt Lake Bees Baseball Team
Larry Miller also loved baseball. He helped build Smith's Ballpark in Salt Lake City. In 2003, he bought the minor league baseball team that played there. He changed their name from the Salt Lake Stingers to the Salt Lake Bees.
Other Sports Teams
Larry Miller also owned other sports teams:
- The Salt Lake Golden Eagles ice hockey team, which he bought in 1989.
- The Utah Starzz WNBA (women's basketball) team. He sold this team in 2002, and it later moved to Las Vegas.
Motor Sports
The Miller family also owned the former Miller Motorsports Park. This was a special track for car and motorcycle races.
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Tour of Utah Bicycle Race
The Larry H. Miller Tour of Utah is a professional road bicycle racing event. It is a multi-day race that takes place in Utah.
Giving Back to the Community
Larry Miller was a very generous person. He gave money to many different causes and organizations. This is called Philanthropy.
He supported projects related to his church, and he created academic scholarships. He also helped preserve historic architecture and supported hospitals, music, and art.
In 2007, he started a program called "Teach the Teacher." This program funded summer trips for teachers to learn about American history. All their expenses were covered.
Many buildings and centers are named after Larry Miller because of his generous donations. These include:
- The sports complex at BYU Cougars (Brigham Young University).
- A law enforcement training center.
- The Larry H. and Gail Miller Salt Lake Community College campus.
- Baseball and softball complexes at BYU.
Awards and Recognition
Larry Miller received many awards for his public service. He received the Utah Minuteman Award in 1990. He also received five honorary doctorates from universities.
Car Collection
Larry Miller was a big car enthusiast. He had a collection of 15 Ford Shelby Cobra cars. These cars are very rare, with only 1,011 ever made. He even had to use two of his cars as collateral to get loans to buy the Utah Jazz. He also collected GT-40s and Shelby Mustangs.
Later Years and Passing
In 2008, Larry Miller became very ill. He had a severe heart attack and other health problems. These were complications from type-2 diabetes. In January 2009, he had surgery to remove both of his legs.
Larry Miller passed away on February 20, 2009, at his home. He was surrounded by his family.
NBA Commissioner David Stern shared his sadness. He said Larry's impact went beyond the NBA. He touched many lives in Salt Lake City through his businesses and charity work. Larry Miller's funeral was held in the Vivint Arena, the home of his beloved Utah Jazz.
Places and Events Named After Larry Miller
- Larry H Miller Campus of Salt Lake Community College
- Larry H. Miller Sports Complex
- Larry & Gail Miller Public Safety Education and Training Center
- Miller Automotive Training Center
- Miller Corporate Partnership Center
- Miller Free Enterprise Center
- Miller Professional Development Center
- Miller Motorsports Park
- Larry H. Miller Tour of Utah (bicycle race)
- Larry H. Miller Softball Complex
- Larry H. Miller Court at Delta Center
- Miller Cafe, Lassonde Studios, University of Utah
- Larry H. Miller Dealerships, Murray, Utah.
