(Photo courtesy of Smith Entertainment Group)
(Photo courtesy of Smith Entertainment Group)
SALT LAKE CITY — Downtown Salt Lake City is about to get a facelift with an all-new Sports, Entertainment, Culture, and Convention District.
Utah Jazz and Mammoth owner Ryan Smith shared plans for the next phase of changes coming to the downtown area on social media on Wednesday.
We’re excited to share the next phase of what’s coming to downtown Salt Lake City. The new district will have something for everyone.
It’ll have a new convention center, updated Abravanel Hall, new art museum, transformed Delta Center, Live Nation venue, strong local vibe combined with new iconic brands, hotel, housing, restaurants, and a central pedestrian walkway connecting the whole downtown from City Creek all the way to the new front door of the Delta Center.
— Ryan Smith (@RyanQualtrics) October 14, 2026
The five minute video contained city plans paired with renderings and speeches from Smith, Salt Lake City mayor Erin Mendenhall, and Salt Lake County mayor Jenny Wilson.
Smith started by sharing that the Delta Center, home of Jazz basketball and Mammoth hockey, will have its main entrance moved to the east side. The change will position the arena as point B to City Creek’s point A, with a walkable paseo filled with restaurants and shops connecting the two downtown hubs.
Smith also went over the new Live Nation concert venue, a new hotel, and changes to 100 South.
We’re excited to show you, for the first time, what we have all been working on for the next phase of the Sports, Entertainment, Culture, and Convention District. The Delta Center will have a new front door. It will be facing directly east. We’re creating a walkway all the way through that connects the culture, convention, sports, and entertainment all together with a central gathering place where families and people can come experience local food, iconic brands, and really have a cool place to go.
Adjacent to the convention center, you’ll run right into our Live Nation concert venue. It’s going to have 6,000 seats. We’re going to have 80 to 120 concerts a year. At any given time, you will have a convention and concerts, as well as a new hotel, restaurants, and iconic brands that will continue to be coming into downtown.
Currently on Japantown Street, there’s over 400 feet of active loading docks. That’s not a great experience for everyone who’s coming in. We’re removing these 400 feet, and we’re replacing it with retail, office, streetscape, and murals. So that’ll be another great experience coming up 100 South. It’s truly a place where families and people can gather, and that’s going to be something that everyone can participate in.
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Mendenhall then explained the thought process behind these downtown changes, and how the plans can help increase the quality of life for Utahns in the future.
This is a massive win for Salt Lake City. When we think of our downtown, we need connection. Prior to these district plans, when you left City Creek, you ran into the Salt Palace. It created a wall separating our downtown. The new district breaks down that wall and creates a walkable pedestrian connection all the way from City Creek to the Delta Center, bringing more energy and vibrancy that is desperately needed in any thriving urban core.
The Delta Center alone generates over $970 million to Salt Lake City’s economy every single year. That economic engine helps pay for our roads, our infrastructure, and our vital city services. In partnership with Salt Lake City, SEG vreated a Public Benefit Fund that contributes millions of dollars a year for Salt Lake City to use to support affordable housing, public art, transportation, and other city priorities. The Sports, Entertainment, Culture, and Convention District is also how we’re putting our downtown amenities to work for our city.
Near the end of the video, Mendenhall added that, “The district will be completed in advance of the 2034 Olympic and Paralympic Winter Games.”
Smith also added that there will be “incredible investment” into parking, road, and public transportation to assist in the increased flow that the downtown area will likely see.
