Ryan Smith reveals future of downtown

Smith Entertainment Group released renderings of its downtown sports, entertainment, culture and convention complex Wednesday.

Demolition is scheduled to begin in February, with work continuing into March. The project will be completed before the 2034 Olympic and Paralympic Winter Games.

These renderings offer the best look yet at what’s to come for the district.

The new district will allow for a pedestrian walkway from City Creek Center to a new east-facing entrance at the Delta Center.

“We’re creating a walkway all the way through, and a paseo that connects the culture, convention, and sports and entertainment, all together with a central gathering place where families and people can come, experience local food, experience iconic brands, and really have a cool place to go,” Ryan Smith, head of SEG, said in a video on X, previously Twitter.

Next to the convention center will be a Live Nation concert venue that will seat 6,000 and host 80 to 120 concerts a year.

On top of that, SEG plans to replace 400 feet of loading docks on Japantown Street with retail, office space, murals and more.

According to Salt Lake County Mayor Jenny Wilson, the new Salt Palace will be a central hub for the 2034 Winter Games, serving as an operations, hospitality and event center.

Before then, the Salt Palace will also host multiple conventions simultaneously.

It will include meeting rooms, exhibit halls and modern spaces for people to connect.

Abravanel Hall will remain, with the building undergoing back-of-house improvements, reorienting backstage and office spaces to allow the building to be positioned for better engagement within the district, according to a spokesperson for Utah Symphony | Utah Opera.

SEG has also planned a new art museum for the district.

The downtown district is expected to attract 5 million visitors every year, according to Salt Lake City Mayor Erin Mendenhall.

“The Delta Center alone, including Jazz, Mammoth games, and other concerts and events, generates over $970 million to Salt Lake City’s economy every single year,” she said.

“In partnership with Salt Lake City, SEG created a Public Benefit Fund that contributes millions of dollars a year for Salt Lake City to use to support affordable housing, public art, transportation, and other city priorities.”

The Downtown Alliance, which represents businesses in the center of the town, believes the plans will boost Salt Lake City’s appeal.

“This offers some new amenities,” executive director Dee Brewer said. “And it really doubles down on what’s working for the downtown economy and the capital city.”

The city center saw gains in visitation, spending and residential population last year as the neighborhood continued a multiyear trend toward a visitor economy. About 31 million people ventured downtown last year, Brewer said.

Brewer is especially excited about the Live Nation venue because its size is a “missing piece” in downtown’s entertainment offerings.

He’s also excited about the new hotel shown in the renderings, directly across 300 West from the new arena entrance. A new five-star offering would be the “right play,” Brewer said, as the city will need more quality hotel rooms when the convention center reopens.

The district is being partially funded with taxpayer money. In October 2024, Salt Lake City approved a half-percentage-point sales tax expected to generate $900 million.

About $525 million of the city’s $900 million has been set aside for the ongoing Delta Center renovations, which are expected to finish in 2027.

Meanwhile, about $375 million will go toward investment in the district outside the arena. SEG says it is putting $3 billion of its own money toward the district.

— This is a developing story.