The Arena
The Story
The Arena began with a question: what if one of the most underutilized spaces in West Jordan could become something remarkable? ElevateUT partnered with West Jordan's public services team to explore the Sycamores Open Space — 54 acres of grassland and ridge at the foot of the Oquirrh Mountains, offering terrain unlike anything in the region.
In early 2024, ElevateUT and the City of West Jordan submitted a proposal to the Utah Outdoor Recreation Grant (UORG) program. The original ask was $1M, combining regional asset and tier-one asset categories. UORG clarified the maximum was $200K. West Jordan's city manager matched it, bringing the total budget to $400,000. Mayor Dirk Burton championed the project from the start.
A formal RFP drew 12 bids — the first time a Utah disc golf course was designed and built through a competitive procurement process. JDS Construction won the contract and partnered with professional disc golfer Philip Romney for course design. Romney, studying landscape architecture, spent an estimated 500+ hours on-site — clearing dead wood, shaping fairways, and incorporating Scott Belchak's preliminary design concepts.
Groundbreaking was April 10, 2025. The course opened August 11, 2025. Each hole is themed around a Utah native or migratory bird species, with signage designed to teach players about local wildlife. Construction used low-impact methods: xeriscaping, mulched trails from local arborist materials, and drought-tolerant native plantings.
The Arena serves the underserved west side of the Salt Lake Valley and set a new standard for professional disc golf infrastructure in Utah — proving that hiring professionals to design and build courses produces championship-caliber results.
Layouts
UDisc
What Players Say
One of, if not my favorite course in Utah now. The shot variety and difficulty is great for any level. They did a lot with what they had!
The Reds course is the best open golf in Utah for beginner and intermediate players. It has a variety of shot shapes and hole designs. This layout will be challenging but still scoreable. It is also a gorgeous property.
Excellent course! Well designed and really challenging Gold layout. For a course with approximately 2 trees, it utilizes the natural landscape and elevation changes very well. 5 star course.
Amazing elevation change. Very well laid out. Even when busy the course plays well, as folks can go play red tees if they're feeling impatient.
Amazing! Completely different than other courses, wide open, big distance, interesting mandatories. Will be back!!!
Maintenance
JDS Construction maintains an ongoing relationship with the course. ElevateUT coordinates with the City of West Jordan on mowing and general upkeep. The course features mulched trail surfaces sourced from local arborist materials, minimizing long-term maintenance. Xeriscaping and drought-tolerant plantings reduce water requirements. Cactus relief is mandatory with no penalty — players stack rocks at cactus bases to protect desert vegetation.