Ryan Smith reveals plans for future downtown sports district

Ryan Smith reveals plans for future downtown sports district

Salt Lakers now have a clearer view of Smith Entertainment Group's plans to transform a portion of downtown into a new sports and entertainment district.

State of play: Ryan Smith, the head of SEG, revealed a video on social media Wednesday that shows renderings of a pedestrian plaza between the Delta Center and the Salt Palace Convention Center.

  • Plans call for a 6,000-seat Live Nation concert venue in the district that would host 80 to 120 concerts annually, as well as a new hotel, art museum, housing and improvements to Abravanel Hall.
  • An upgraded Salt Palace Convention Center — set to temporarily close next year for renovations — would be able to host multiple major conventions simultaneously for the first time.
  • The Delta Center, home of the Utah Jazz and Mammoth, would also get a new east-facing entrance.

    • A rendering of the downtown sports district. Rendering: Courtesy of Smith Entertainment Group

    Between the lines: Loading docks on 100 South would be moved and replaced with retail shops, office space and murals.

    What they're saying: In the video, Mayor Erin Mendenhall says the pedestrian walkway would bring "energy and vibrancy that is desperately needed in any thriving urban core."

    A rendering of a pedestrian walkway. Rendering: Courtesy of Smith Entertainment Group

    By the numbers: The Salt Lake City Council in 2024 approved a 0.5% citywide sales tax increase to help fund the project. The sales tax is projected to generate $1.2 billion over the next 30 years.

  • The majority of that revenue is earmarked to support the development.

    • What we're watching: Construction on the mixed-use development is expected to begin next year and be completed before the 2034 Winter Olympic Games.

  • Once finished, 5 million people will visit the new district annually, Mendenhall estimates.