Smith Entertainment Group reveals new details about Salt Lake revitalization plan
Jun 11, 2024, 2:00 PM | Updated: 4:02 pm
FILE: The Delta Center and the skyline in Salt Lake City on Wednesday, May 8, 2024. The Smith Entertainment Group announced plans to build a new indoor music venue in downtown Salt Lake City.(Jeffrey D. Allred, Deseret News)
(Jeffrey D. Allred, Deseret News)
SALT LAKE CITY — The Smith Entertainment Group is revealing more details in their plans to revitalize downtown Salt Lake and the three blocks east of the Delta Center.
The Smith Entertainment Group says they hope to move 300 West, which runs in front of the Delta Center, underground and create a walkable promenade where the current roadway is, starting at the Delta Center and going three blocks east.
Related: Smith Entertainment Group seeks 99-year lease, 2 extra blocks as part of Salt Lake plan
Their proposal includes tearing down part of the Salt Palace Convention Center against 300 West to open up the plaza space, but the group stressed that the county is still figuring out where that convention center square footage could go.
“The convention center is absolutely essential to all of this. And it’s essential that they have the square footage that they need. And we’re working with the county to determine where that can be rebuilt or repurposed,” said Mike Maughan, SEG executive and principal on the downtown SLC project.
Maughan also revealed that they plan to build a hotel and “possibly more than one” housing tower.
Maughan said that the group would lease the land from the county and city within the three-city-block allotment and that most of the tax money would be spent there. But, he pointed out that the law allows for the tax money to be invested in an area “up to 100 acres,” or roughly 10 city blocks.
The group plans to release more detailed draft plans and concept rendering on Tuesday.
Creating an ‘experience’ downtown
SEG’s plans include a jumbotron outside the Delta Center for crowds to watch Jazz and NHL games on the plaza. The interior blocks would also include food and beverage, gathering spaces, and retail space such as a Utah Jazz or new hockey team store.
“So much of this investment will be going into the overall experience downtown,” Maughan said about a proposed tax increase scheduled to be voted on next month by the Salt Lake City Council to help fund the arena and plaza space.
To read the full story and watch KSL TV’s interview with Smith Entertainment Group, visit KSLTV.com
