SEG Names Master Architect for SLC Entertainment District Redevelopment

This post breaks down the Salt Lake County and Smith Entertainment Group announcement to redevelop the Salt Palace Convention Center. The plan is to create a new Sports, Entertainment, Culture and Convention district in downtown Salt Lake City.

I’ll summarize the plan, the team driving design and construction, timelines and costs, and what this means for downtown connectivity and placemaking. My perspective comes as an architect and engineer with three decades of experience in urban projects.

Project overview: what’s being built and why it matters

The redevelopment calls for demolition of the back half of the existing Salt Palace Convention Center. This will clear land roughly between South Temple to 100 South and 200 West to 300 West to create a contiguous district that directly links to the Delta Center.

The intent is to connect major downtown destinations: City Creek, Abravanel Hall, the Salt Palace footprint, Japan Town, and the Delta Center. Removing existing barriers will improve walkability and bring these areas together.

County Facilities Management official Ryan Henrie described the plan as a move toward seamless pedestrian access and a more vibrant downtown core. This is not simply about new buildings; it’s about creating a central gathering hub for residents and visitors while supporting events, culture, and commerce.

Who’s designing and managing the work

The county selected an experienced design and construction leadership team to execute the vision. Populous Holdings, Inc. and MHTN Architects will lead architectural design work.

Construction Control Corporation and Rider Levett Bucknall will oversee construction management. Smith Entertainment Group also appointed global design firm HKS to develop the broader master plan.

Populous and MHTN bring expertise in convention and arena-adjacent design. HKS contributes experience in strategic master planning at the district scale, and the construction managers will control schedule, budget, and risk.

Timeline and budget: expectations and gaps

Designs are scheduled for release in mid-to-late 2026. Demolition is anticipated to begin in February 2027.

The estimated total project cost is $1.4 billion. So far, $900 million has been secured through a resolution with Salt Lake City.

This leaves an outstanding funding need of $500 million. That funding gap will be a primary focus for stakeholders and will determine project phasing and partnerships.

Key features and strategic benefits

The master plan aims to deliver multiple civic and economic benefits. From my experience, the most important outcomes to watch for include:

Risks, opportunities, and next steps

There are real opportunities here. A connected downtown can boost visitation and extend event-day spending into restaurants and retail.

This can also strengthen Salt Lake City’s competitiveness for regional and national events. The risks are familiar — funding shortfalls, schedule delays, and the need for coordination among many public and private stakeholders.

Over the next 18–24 months, key milestones to watch include the public release of design documents. Another important step is developing a strategy to close the remaining $500 million gap.

The approach for phased construction procurement will also be important. Stakeholder alignment — including the Utah State Legislature and The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, both named collaborators — will be essential to move from concept into delivery while preserving community priorities.

As the project advances, expect a steady stream of design concepts and public forums. There will also be technical analyses shared with the public.

 
Here is the source article for this story: SEG announces master architect for SLC’s entertainment district