General Conference should give boost to Salt Lake City economy

SALT LAKE CITY — The Salt Lake City economy should get a big boost this weekend. The 192nd Annual General Conference of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints is scheduled for Saturday and Sunday at the Conference Center in downtown.

Earlier this year, Church officials announced 10,000 people would be allowed to attend each of the five sessions. It’s the first time since April 2019 that Church members have been allowed to attend general conference in person.

Economy boost

Salt Lake Chamber President Derek Miller says exact figures aren’t known, but general conference generates millions of dollars, giving a boost to the Salt Lake City economy. 

“A lot of which is for businesses that really were hurt during the pandemic,” he told KSL NewsRadio.

Miller thinks people coming to downtown for general conference will help bring others back to the city.

“You know to see people are coming back to downtown, especially for conference,” he said. “I think gives confidence to others to come to downtown as well.”

Miller says there have been some changes to the city in the last few years.

“The most noticeable change to people who are coming for conference is going to be Temple Square,” he said. “But the whole skyline of Salt Lake City is changing.”

An opportunity to discover

Miller says the Chamber is hopeful that those coming to conference will use it as an opportunity to discover more of the city than just Conference Center.

Every session of the 192nd Annual General Conference can be heard on KSL NewsRadio or on the KSL NewsRadio app.

Bonneville International Corporation, the company that owns KSL NewsRadio, is a subsidiary of Deseret Management Corporation, which is owned by The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. 

Read more: 

• General Conference will include limited in-person attendance
• Downtown SLC thrives even without General Conference attendees