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In case you missed it, Salt Lake City recently revealed the first real estimate for how many visitors are expected at the historic open house for the pioneer-era Salt Lake Temple in 2027.
Salt Lake must create a real working estimate to justify closing down streets around the temple for the safety of the visitors. It made one with the help of the Utah Department of Transportation and The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.
The office of Salt Lake City Mayor Erin Mendenhall recently sent a letter to the City Council asking for the road closures because “this event will draw millions of visitors to the city with mass gatherings taking place on the blocks surrounding Temple Square.”
A city spokesman provided a second estimate in an accompanying statement to the Deseret News.
“The city expects the celebration to draw more than 20,000 visitors each day,” Adam Wittenberg stated.
That matches the number of people who visited the Medals Plaza each night during the 2002 Olympic Winter Games in downtown Salt Lake City.
The interest is understandable. Temples are closed to the general public, which can generally see inside only during open houses held before temples are dedicated. The Salt Lake Temple had a one-day open house in 1893.
The temple has attracted constant interest. Before the temple’s seven-year renovation began, about 1 million visitors streamed through Temple Square each year.
So what’s the best estimate for how many will enter the doors in 2027?
The church has said the Salt Lake Temple open house and celebration will last for six months, from April to October. The church has not released the exact dates.
The mayor’s proposal asks the City Council to agree to close the streets from March to October.
So, the open house could last for 180 days or more, minus about 25 Sundays.
If the dates extend to 180 open days with 20,000-plus visitors per day, the total would reach or exceed 3.6 million.
This will definitely be record-setting for the church.
The original Washington D.C. Temple open house drew 758,328 visitors.
The Saratoga Springs Utah Temple open house was the longest, at 84 days with 587,749 visitors, or 7,000 per day.
Visitors to a temple open house generally need to register for free tickets. Those and other details are expected to be released in the future.
My recent stories
- What President Oaks said at BYU in his first devotional as church president (Feb. 10)
- How to watch President Dallin H. Oaks’ BYU devotional (Feb. 9)
- Utah Supreme Court allows Heber Valley Utah Temple construction to continue while it weighs appeal (Feb. 5)
- An evangelical pastor had a very specific question for a Latter-day Saint general authority (Feb. 4)
About the church
- In his talk at BYU, President Oaks reaffirmed the prophetic destiny of BYU in its 150th anniversary year.
- What’s been going on at the Salt Lake Temple, according to its renovation project communications director.
- How the Church of Jesus Christ is celebrating America’s 250th anniversary — and how to join in.
- The First Presidency released a rendering and the site location for the Norfolk Virginia Temple.
- The leader of the U.N. World Food Programme visited the church’s humanitarian facilities. This is what he said.
What I’m reading
This is a good piece: What’s behind the offensive chants directed at BYU?
Legendary coach and announcer Dick Vitale came to BYU’s defense, too:
Kentucky coach Mark Pope’s daughter just returned from her Latter-day Saint mission, and it gave him a chance to show the world what that meant to her, to him and to their family.
Drake Maye lost the Super Bowl, but he knows what’s "bigger than football."
Behind the Scenes
