When ground broke for the Salt Lake Bees’ new South Jordan stadium in October 2023, there was nothing but 200 acres of undeveloped dirt. It was empty land 21 miles away from Smith’s Ballpark, the Salt Lake City stadium that housed the Bees for 30 years.
Now?
“Every time you come here, there is something different that can make your day,” said Eric Fairbanks, vice president of executive operations for Larry H. Miller Real Estate.
That was the goal when the project began, and the reason The Larry H. Miller Sports and Entertainment Group moved the Bees from downtown to the suburbs.
When it came to planning the district, the Miller group searched the country for inspiration. One project stood out: The Battery Atlanta, a sports and entertainment district that houses Truist Park, the home of the Atlanta Braves.
Like the Bees, the Braves moved their ballpark to the suburbs in 2017. The Battery includes hotels, apartments, office spaces, shops, bars, restaurants — you name it.
Those same pieces are starting to fall into place in Daybreak.
Utah-based restaurants like Taste of Red Iguana, Hires Big H and Rockwell Ice Cream now dot the street leading into the ballpark. There are no national chain restaurants at the square by design.
“Game days are some of our busiest days, as we see a noticeable increase in visitors,” said Kendra Tanner, store manager of Rockwell Ice Cream’s Daybreak location.
Because the development can be navigated on foot, Tanner said, “it’s pretty common for someone to discover [Rockwell] when they are out enjoying their day.”
There’s a Megaplex — also owned by the Miller group — featuring a bowling alley and arcade alongside its movie theaters.
The square features an open public space that hosts concerts and yoga classes. During the winter, it even acts as an ice rink.
And if you need Bees gear for a game, the team store outside the ballpark is home to the largest hat selection in all of Minor League Baseball, with more than 200 unique hat designs.
But, as the Miller group stressed, this is still just the beginning for the 200-acre mixed-use development.
The sports and entertainment district is still in Phase 1 of a three-phase plan, with new projects expected to be completed regularly over the coming years.
A 190-unit apartment building will open later this year, with some of the top units having a direct view of the diamond. The Larry H. and Gail Miller Arts Center — a 90,000-square-foot venue that will include an 800-seat theater, two smaller performing spaces, a social event room, arts classrooms and a full-time art gallery — is anticipated to open in 2028.
The final product is still years away, but the center of it all — the 8,000-person-capacity ballpark — has already drawn plenty of interest in the baseball world.
“Every player that comes through our stadium is totally blown away about what it is and how it looks,” said Ty Wardle, president of the Salt Lake Bees and chief revenue officer for Miller Sports and Entertainment. “We even have baseball executives around the country that come to tour it and talk about how this feels like a major league stadium.”
Bees first baseman Niko Kavadas only played a few games at Smith’s Ballpark before the Bees moved stadiums. When he arrived at the Ballpark at America First Square, he said he was “absolutely amazed.”
“It’s grade-A,” he said.
The amenities and facilities at the new ballpark are unlike most minor league stadiums, including three separate batting tunnels and bullpens for both home and away teams.
And, according to the Bees, the fans have responded, too.
“Traditionally, when you build a new venue like this in the minor league system, you get a peak in attendance the first year, then it falls off,” Wardle said, “but it’s actually the opposite for us. We had a huge lift in attendance ... all the feedback and the metrics that we’re looking at, and the community support that we’re getting, it all is a real positive.”
When the Bees played their first game in their new ballpark in April 2025, Wardle said the atmosphere was quieter than it is today — especially around the park. Fewer stores, less dining, and less public awareness of the district led to a gradual buildup.
Now, he feels the Ballpark at America First Square is beginning to get into full swing.
“When we’re committing to not just the baseball experience, but the community experience, it’s really easy to get the neighborhood, the community, the city on our side,” Wardle said. “Now that people are getting on board with what we are doing out there, it’s fun. It feels exciting.”