The long-term future of Smith’s Ballpark is finally becoming clear a little more than two years after the Salt Lake Bees announced they would be moving out.
The 31-year-old baseball stadium will be “repurposed” to serve as an entertainment venue with creative spaces and retail, Salt Lake City Mayor Erin Mendenhall announced Tuesday night. She added that its field — one once used by the likes of David Ortiz, Torii Hunter and Mike Trout — will be transformed into a “mixed-use urban space and a safe community park.”
Mendenhall revealed the city’s plans for the stadium during her annual State of the City address, a little more than a month after the city released three options for the site’s future.
Option 2 keeps portions of the stadium but also drastically changes it, potentially demolishing sections of it. Planners said the option includes an “arrival gateway” by the stadium’s old main entrance. The city still plans to create a “festival street” outside of the old ballpark grounds, which can host music, markets and pop-up events by the corner of 1300 South and West Temple.
The mayor explained that the options will open the door for much-needed greenspace in the neighborhood, while also bringing in concerts and farmers markets.
“The Ballpark neighborhood will be a place where families grow, businesses thrive and the community’s pulse beats strong, drawing us all back to one of the most historic neighborhoods in Salt Lake City,” she said, adding that a “more detailed” design will be released in spring.
Salt Lake City had intended to revamp the Ballpark neighborhood around the stadium, but its plans were cast into doubt when the Larry H. Miller Company — owners of the Salt Lake Bees — announced in January 2023 that they’d move the team to a new stadium it would build in South Jordan. Daybreak Field is still under construction but is on track to open in time for Opening Day in April.
Mendenhall announced in her 2023 State of the City address that the Larry H. & Gail Miller Family Foundation had offered to lead a $100 million fundraising partnership as a parting gift. The city’s Ballpark Next Fund received $22 million from that last year.
Meanwhile, Salt Lake City launched “Ballpark Next” to address Smith’s Ballpark’s future as this all unfolded. It led to a design competition, which gave the city some clue about what the stadium could be used for after baseball. City officials ultimately hired the firm Perkins&Will to help the Salt Lake City Community Reinvestment Agency craft more detailed plans, leading to the three final options revealed in December.
The final decision isn’t much of a surprise. The option was overwhelmingly preferred by Ballpark and Central Ninth residents who attended a meeting where the city revealed three scenarios for the ballpark’s future were first revealed.
“It still preserves some of the history, some of the building of the stadium, while also having a public space that could be used by the community at any time,” Doug Flagler, chairman of the Central Ninth Community Council, told KSL.com at the time.
City officials said last year that construction on anything likely wouldn’t begin until at least 2026.
Baseball isn’t over just yet at Smith’s Ballpark, either. The University of Utah’s baseball team will remain at the stadium this season before its new ballpark that is closer to campus opens next year. The university’s contract with the city expires after June.
Mendenhall said earlier this month that the city is looking to select an event contractor to hold “diverse and dynamic” events at Smith’s Ballpark during the second half of this year. These may include pop-up markets, food festivals, trade shows, performances or other sports.