Mayor Wilson confirms future of Abravanel Hall
Sep 17, 2024, 12:18 PM | Updated: Sep 30, 2024, 12:40 pm
FILE: Abravanel Hall in Salt Lake City on Wednesday, May 8, 2024. Jazz owner Ryan Smith and city and county leaders want to redevelop to create a new shopping, residential and entertainment district that will connect City Creek Mall with the Delta Center. On May 14, Salt Lake County Mayor Jenny Wilson said she's working to keep the hall "in it's present form." (Jeffrey D. Allred, Deseret News)
(Jeffrey D. Allred, Deseret News)
SALT LAKE CITY– Salt Lake County Mayor Jenny Wilson has confirmed that Abravanel Hall will be preserved as part of Smith Entertainment Group’s downtown Salt Lake revitalization plan.
The confirmation was made as representatives from Salt Lake City and Smith Entertainment Group presented their plans for the downtown revitalization to a committee at the Utah State Capitol.
“We want the symphony to thrive for the next 50 years and beyond,” said Wilson. “And I’m committed, as I have been from day one, to keeping the hall as-is, where it is. We have a plan to do so.”
During the meeting, Smith Entertainment Group representatives echoed that sentiment. They emphasized the important role the symphony will play in the new entertainment district.
Shortly after the announcement, Salt Lake County Mayor Jenny Wilson wrote that she is “working diligently on a reimagined downtown, and a district design that allows Abravanel Hall to remain in its present form.”
Public efforts to preserve Abravanel Hall
Following the announcement of Utah’s new hockey team, concerns mounted at the suggestion that Abravanel Hall could be torn down.
In a joint statement released by Salt Lake County, Smith Entertainment Group, and the Utah Symphony, the entities said they were weighing out the benefits between renovation and rebuilding.
The statements were faced with heavy opposition. One petition to save the building gained 35,000 signatures. Many opponents of demolition noted its historical significance and the attention to detail that went into its construction.
Downtown revitalization updates
The presentation was given to get a revitalization committee’s approval for a half-cent tax increase to fund renovations of the Delta Center and nearby blocks.
Lawmakers have until the end of the year to decide on the tax hike.
Eric Cabrera contributed to this report.
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