While the first of three phases in Delta Center renovations wraps up, planning for the future of the Salt Palace Convention Center and other buildings east of the arena is heating up.
Salt Lake County leaders announced Friday they’ve selected Salt Lake City-based MHTN Architects and Populous Holdings, a global architectural firm based in Kansas City, Missouri, to map out the future of the convention center. Construction Control Corporation and RLB Holdings, two Utah-based companies specializing in construction management and consulting, have also been hired.
They will help Salt Lake County redesign, rebuild or renovate the convention center, Abravanel Hall and the Utah Museum of Contemporary Art, all of which are part of the “sports, entertainment, culture and convention district” downtown.
“These selections represent some of the best talent in the industry, with a unique and necessary blending of local and national expertise,” said Salt Lake County Mayor Jenny Wilson, in a statement.
Downtown Salt Lake City will look drastically different by the end of 2030, if all goes as planned.
The county’s timeline
Friday’s announcement follows Salt Lake County’s agreement in April to sell the approximately 6.5-acre western edge of the convention center to Smith Entertainment Group, the owner of the Utah Jazz and Utah Mammoth sports teams, for $55 million. The deal is expected to be finalized in early 2027, before any construction may begin.
County officials said the sale opens the door for a two-ballroom venue, which can boost convention revenues. They launched their search for an architectural firm shortly after the agreement was reached.
Populous has designed many sports and entertainment venues all over the world, including the new Yankee Stadium in New York City, Gainbridge Fieldhouse in Indianapolis and Sphere in Las Vegas. MHTN Architects has also had its hand in several projects across the country, but some of its recent projects in Utah include Millcreek City Hall, Delta’s new pilot training center in Salt Lake City and the new Provo Airport terminal.
Construction Control Corporation and RLB also provide a mix of local and global expertise when it comes to construction and cost management, county officials said. They add that they’re still seeking to retain a construction firm through an active request for proposal process.
The project is currently in its “programming phase,” said Ryan Henry, Salt Lake County’s associate division director of facilities management. That’s where planners review all the logistics for the impacted area, such as the plan to rebuild the art museum and the plan to renovate parts of Abravanel Hall, and construction mitigation plans.
That will continue through early 2026 before the group moves into a design phase. Some of the first renderings are expected to be released about mid-2026, said Liz Sollis, a spokeswoman for Salt Lake County.
Partial demolition of the Salt Palace could begin as early as February 2027, once the design phase is completed. There will be some mini projects within the design phase that allow the county to get to work as quickly as possible, even as the design is being finalized, Henry said.
“After demolition, depending on permitting and where we are at with design, the footing and foundations would start sometime in 2027,” he told KSL.com, adding that all of the construction of all three buildings is tentatively expected to be completed by the fall of 2030.
Coordinating with other projects
Friday’s announcement also comes as other elements of the district slowly come together.
Salt Lake City approved Smith Entertainment Group’s plan for a new parking garage outside the Delta Center’s southwest corner last week. Smith announced last month that it plans to build a 6,000-capacity indoor concert venue east of the arena, as well. The venue would be built along a planned plaza on the land Smith is acquiring from the county.
Meanwhile, Utah Department of Transportation officials launched a request for proposals last week for the design of a pedestrian crossing over 300 West. Agency officials say they’ve zeroed in on a plan that calls for 300 West to be slightly lowered and a pedestrian bridge to be slightly raised over the roadway east of the arena, so that the ambitious plans flow smoothly alongside one of the city’s busiest roads.
“There will definitely be a lot of coordination with the different stakeholders to create the shared vision that the county, (Smith Entertainment Group) and Salt Lake City have for that area,” Henry said.
A Utah committee signed off on a $1.8 billion “reinvestment zone” where all the projects are taking place in April, following the passage of a bill that funded the massive convention overhaul. All of the projects will completely change downtown by the arena over the next few years.
County leaders believe that those changes will be for the better.
“As excited as I am to see the new district develop and our visitor economy grow, I’m most excited about enhancing community opportunities through intentional placemaking,” Wilson said. “Through this collaborative effort, beloved venues and spaces will be improved, and there will be better walkability and connectivity downtown.”