Larry H. Miller

Infobox Celebrity
name = Larry H. Miller

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caption = Miller speaking at the University of Utah in April 2006
birth_date = birth date and age|1944|4|26
birth_place = Salt Lake City, Utah
death_date =
death_place =
occupation = Entrepreneur
salary =
networth = Gain $480 million (estimate) [ [http://www.hoopshype.com/owners/larry_miller.htm Owners - Larry Miller, Utah Jazz] at HoopsHype, accessed 16 May 2007 ]
signature quote =
spouse = Gail Miller
website = [http://www.lhm.com The Larry Miller Group]
footnotes =
children =

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 his Megaplex Theatres in early 2006.

Biography

Miller was born as Lawrence Horne 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 West 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.

Larry H. Miller is a life-long member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. In September 2007 he attended the Utah League of Cities and Towns Convention which was held at the Sheraton Hotel and was seated at the same table as Church President Gordon B. Hinckley. President Hinckley on that day was honored with an award as being the citizen of the century.

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. He also is the grandfather of twenty grandchildren

He is also known for his immense sense of caring and commonly cries at public speaking events such as Jazz player resigning and charity events. [http://deseretnews.com/article/1,5143,270013725,00.html?pg=1] [http://www.ksl.com/index.php?nid=294&sid=1501853&comments=true]

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 1980s and early 1990s, he acquired a number of automobile dealerships in Utah, Colorado, Arizona, and New Mexico, creating the Larry H. Miller Automotive Group. In 2007, Selling Power listed him as the tenth largest U.S. automotive dealer, with forty-two dealerships and sales of $2,327,000,000.

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-TV 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 complexes along the Wasatch Front. There are 5 Megaplex Theaters located in shopping centers along the Wasatch Front; the Gateway Mall in downtown Salt Lake City, at the aforementioned Jordan Commons in Sandy, at The District in South Jordan, at The Junction in Ogden, and at Thanksgiving Point in Lehi. Together the theaters total 70 screens.

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 $9.5 million. On June 16, 1986, he purchased the remaining 50% from Sam Battistone for $17.3 million.

Miller built the EnergySolutions Arena in Downtown Salt Lake City (formerly 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 was the owner of the Utah Starzz WNBA team from 1997 until 2001. He sold the team to San Antonio Spurs owner Peter Holt who moved the team to San Antonio and renamed them the San Antonio Silver Stars.

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.

Public service

Miller has contributed to a variety of causes and organizations, including a $21 million dollar training center for law enforcement and corrections officers, [Pat Reavy, [http://www.post.utah.gov/pdf/miller.pdf Miller building police training center.] , "Deseret News", July 14, 2005.] as well as a significant investment towards a campus for Salt Lake Community College, which are both 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.

Controversies

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, due to lack of minorities within the Salt Lake Metropolitan. The incident drew nationwide attention, and UPN promptly signed a deal with another station in the Salt Lake City market to carry UPN programming.

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." [ [http://www.mormonstoday.com/000709/B2Miller01.shtml Mormon News for WE 09Jul00: Jazz owner Miller sued over Restau ] ]

"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.

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".

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. [ [http://www.sltrib.com/utah/ci_3673663 Salt Lake Tribune - Miller explains why he chose to pull 'Brokeback' ] Dead link|date=April 2008]

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. [Lya Wodraska, [http://www.sltrib.com/sports/ci_5182227 Miller says he now thinks 'Brokeback' ban was wrong] , "Salt Lake Tribune", February 8, 2007.]

Places/Buildings Named after Larry H. Miller

* [http://www.slcc.edu/locations/miller.asp Larry H Miller Campus for Salt Lake Community College]
* Larry H. Miller Field
* Larry & Gail Miller Public Safety Education and Training Center - Salt Lake Community College Miller Campus
* Miller Automotive Training Center - Salt Lake Community College Miller Campus
* Miller Corporate Partnership Center - Salt Lake Community College Miller Campus
* Miller Free Enterprise Center - Salt Lake Community College Miller Campus
* Miller Professional Development Center - Salt Lake Community College Miller Campus
* Miller Motor Sports Park

References

External links

* [http://www.lhm.com/ The Larry H. Miller Group]
* [http://www.GoPFS.com/ Prestige Financial Services, Inc.]