Utah Jazz's parent company furloughs 40% of sports, entertainment employees

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The Larry H. Miller Group, the parent company of the Utah Jazz, is temporarily laying off 40% of its sports and entertainment workforce due to restrictions caused by the coronavirus pandemic, it was announced Friday.

"A couple hundred" workers are being furloughed, including employees working for the Jazz, Vivint Smart Home Arena, Megaplex Theatres, and the Salt Lake Bees minor-league baseball team, a company spokesperson told Art Raymond of the Deseret News.

The company's latest cost-cutting measures come after members of the Jazz's non-basketball staff were laid off in early April. Other team employees also had their compensation reduced in a corresponding move at the time.

"These are unprecedented times and, like other companies across all industries, the sports and entertainment world has been significantly impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic," Larry H. Miller Sports and Entertainment group president Jim Olson said in a statement obtained by Raymond.

Olson noted the furloughed employees were receiving compensation and benefits over the past two months while venues remained closed. He also said they'll keep their health insurance while furloughed.