Vision: a vivid mental image, especially a fanciful one of the future. Real Salt Lake Owner Dell Loy Hansen has long been labeled a man of vision and someone who has the ability to impact the community he so dearly loves. With the Grand Opening of the Zions Bank Real Academy in Herriman, Mr. Hansen has seen his latest vision of soccer in Utah officially come to fruition.
“This was all a joint effort,” Hansen explained. “The city of Herriman was instrumental in making this happen. They helped us develop a really raw piece of land that is now anchoring a community. I’m really proud of that.”
When Hansen entered the league as a part owner of RSL in 2009, he was eager to learn how to build the sport on and off the field in what he considers the ‘State of Sport’. Attending the grand opening of the facility was Major League Soccer Commissioner Don Garber who since 2009, has seen Hansen grow as an owner and commended Hansen for what he has built not only RSL, but for the state of Utah.
“You can see here that the club is providing players with great coaching, great facilities and great opportunity,” Garber said of Hansen’s vision. “Mr. Hansen hit it out of the park. He’s a dreamer. When you’re building a pro sports league you need people who can fulfill the dreams and when I’m around here, I have a smile on my face.”
Quick to deflect praise from the people for whom he’s impacted with the inception of the enormous facility, Hansen knows that he has taken the time to understand, involve himself in and ingest what it takes to build something that will last a lifetime.
Said Hansen: “When I look at this team, building and school, I am reminded that all of this will change the whole landscape for over 60,000 youth soccer players in Utah. This state will be the true state of sport from a very young age.”
Aside from his breathtaking ability to envision impactful projects, Hansen is a man who cares deeply about his community and that is reflected in the latest staple he has set in Utah.
“Dell Loy came into the club with a deep commitment to the community,” Garber reflected. “He saw soccer as a way to give his community something bigger and better than it already had. I’ve seen that Dell Loy has become someone is very passionate about the game as he’s become one of the models for Major League Soccer and the sport in our country.”
