Former Tooele County commissioners Gene White and Matt Lawrence relished the time they spent working with Utah businessman Larry H. Miller in bringing Miller Motorsports Park to Tooele County.

Miller was released Friday after spending 59 days in the hospital because of complications from diabetes. In July, Larry H. Miller’s son Greg was named chief executive officer of his father’s companies which also include two other sports operations the Utah Jazz and the Salt Lake Bees.

“I actually tried to call in and talk to him during his press conference on Friday,” Lawrence said. “Larry Miller is bigger than life; he absolutely did everything he said he was going to do in regards to the race track.”

White agrees.

“He was extremely pleasant to work with — not pushy. He didn’t make you feel like he was in a big hurry to get things done his way. We knew there would be concerns from the public and he wanted to deal with them. He wanted to be a good neighbor,” White said.

With his new duties Greg Miller most likely will spend less time at the race track where he has been a fixture the last two years.

“We don’t really expect any changes in the running of the park as a result of Greg’s promotion. He has spent a lot of time out here over the last year and a half,” said MMP Media Manager John Gardner.

“Like his father, Greg Miller is an avid enthusiast, and he shares his father’s vision about this facility, its potential and its future,” Gardner said.

Lawrence is also impressed with the Greg’s business acumen.

“Greg was the guy we worked with and he totally operated Miller Motorsports Park. He is similar to his father, a little more reserved but very bright. My impression is that he is very intelligent and very capable. He shares the vision of Larry H. Miller,” Lawrence said.

The story of Larry H. Miller and his business endeavors in Tooele County dates back to the fall of 2004.

“He initially sent out the head of Sahara Construction to look for 400 acres for a group that wanted to build a race track so I showed him various pieces of land,” White said.

“Eventually he told us it was Larry H. Miller. Then, Miller and his family came out and met with us (commissioners). He met with us three times. Matt played a big role in negotiating some of the details. He (Miller) first told us that he would start out with $5 million, but don’t be surprised if he ended up spending $20 million.”

“During the process we talked on the phone and the first meeting included all three commissioners,” White said. Dennis Rockwell was one of the commissioners at the time.

“We had already planned for a race track on that side of Deseret Peak Complex. The county was going to build the track and then rent it to a group and I was a bit uneasy about that idea. Deseret Peak never pays its own way totally. So when a private businessman with the stature of Larry H. Miller comes in to build a race track that’s a tremendous advantage,” White said.

“Where the county really gains is through tax revenue from motels and restaurants from people coming to events at the track,” White said. The county will also receive a portion of the profits generated at MMP.

Miller owned some land in Denver but could not build his race track there because of zoning issues. He faced that same dilemma when he tried to build a track in southwest Salt Lake County.

“We proceeded cautiously. We grilled him with a lot of questions and how noise would be controlled, ” Lawrence said.

“We wanted to make sure it was something the citizens of the county could live with and would benefit from so we were very fortunate that Larry Miller came in with his plan. Of all the people in America here was somebody with the expertise and means who could do it the right way,” Lawrence said.

“Now Miller Motorsports Park is known as one of the finest racing facilities in the world. It’s amazing that Tooele County was able to get that facility.”

Mark Watson: mwatson@tooeletranscript.com