The Utah Jazz announced today that the team will play an eight-game preseason schedule which, for the first time ever, will feature three home games at EnergySolutions Arena.

Jazz fans will get their first chance to see new additions Al Jefferson, Raja Bell and first-round pick Gordon Hayward when the team opens the preseason schedule at home, hosting the Northwest-Division-rival Portland Trail Blazers on Thursday, October 7 at 7 p.m. MT.  Utah will then play back-to-back road games, facing the Blazers at Memorial Coliseum (10/11), Portland’s home arena from 1970-1995, and at the Phoenix Suns (10/12).

The Jazz return home vs. Phoenix (10/14) before heading to Los Angeles to compete for the second straight year in the four-team L.A. Shoot-Out at STAPLES Center, where the Jazz will play the L.A. Clippers (10/16) and either the L.A. Lakers or Denver Nuggets (10/17) in a winners vs. winners, losers vs. losers bracket format.  The Jazz will then face the Lakers at Honda Center in Anaheim, Calif. (10/19), before wrapping up the preseason schedule by hosting the Sacramento Kings (10/22).

This year’s schedule marks the first time ever the Jazz has hosted three preseason games in Salt Lake City, and will be the first time since 2001 that the team plays three preseason games in the state of Utah.

All eight 2010 Jazz preseason games will be broadcast live by radio voice David Locke on 1320AM KFAN and the Jazz Radio Network.