Smith Entertainment Group released updated downtown Salt Lake City renderings on October 14, 2026, detailing a multibillion-dollar sports, entertainment, culture and convention district. The project spans a four-block area, featuring a 6,000-seat concert venue and a complete rebuild of the Salt Palace Convention Center ahead of the 2034 Winter Games.
Downtown Salt Lake City is shedding its physical barriers. Smith Entertainment Group unveiled a detailed visual package on Wednesday, offering the clearest look yet at a sweeping transformation designed to knit together the city’s commercial core and its premier sports arena. The initiative relies on private investment alongside a city sales tax increase, targeting completion before the 2034 Olympic and Paralympic Winter Games.
Ryan Smith and City Leaders Reveal New District Renderings
The computer-generated imagery, showcased in a video featuring Smith Entertainment Group CEO Ryan Smith, Salt Lake City Mayor Erin Mendenhall, and Salt Lake County Mayor Jenny Wilson, maps out a dense mixed-use zone. The footprint sits between the Delta Center and City Creek Center. According to Mendenhall, the layout tackles a longstanding urban design flaw.
Smith Entertainment Group Unveils Final Rendering of Downtown Entertainment District Approved by SLC City Council“Downtown Salt Lake is evolving, and we’re creating a space where every identity feels seen and at home,” said Ryan Smith, chairman of Smith Entertainment Group. pic.twitter.com/ko0viwLolk
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, and 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 Center.
Mayor Erin Mendenhall, via Deseret News
The project follows a series of municipal and state legislative moves that began after Smith acquired the former Arizona Coyotes and cemented a long-term future for the Utah Jazz and Mammoth. Salt Lake City adopted a 0.5% sales tax increase for the overhaul, with Smith able to collect up to $900 million from it over 30 years.
Salt Palace Convention Center Rebuild and Demolition Timeline
The physical overhaul of the district starts in February 2027. Partial demolition of the Salt Palace Convention Center will begin as early as March 2027, focusing initially on the 6.5 acres that Smith Entertainment Group acquired from Salt Lake County last year for $55.4 million. The deal is expected to be finalized in early 2027.
Convention operations will undergo a drastic shift. The Salt Palace Convention Center will close completely for three years beginning in the fall of 2027. Salt Lake County plans to replace the sprawling horizontal building with a vertical tower housing two ballrooms, updated exhibit halls, and modern meeting spaces.
Our goal is to be the single best destination to host national conventions and even some international conventions.
Mayor Jenny Wilson, via Yahoo
During the 2034 Winter Games, the rebuilt convention center will function as a central hub for operations, hospitality, and events.
Live Nation Venue and Japantown Street Redesign
Beyond the convention hall, Smith Entertainment Group and Live Nation are advancing plans for a 6,000-capacity indoor concert venue. The hall is programmed to host between 80 and 120 concerts annually.
Streetscapes along 100 South will also change substantially. Roughly 400 feet of active loading docks will be removed and replaced with active retail, office space, and mural-lined pedestrian walkways.
To gauge consumer interest in the retail component, Ryan Smith launched an online survey, inviting residents to share what local restaurants and shops they want mixed alongside national brands in the new district.
Visitor Projections and Economic Impact
City projections estimate the completed district will draw 5 million visitors annually. That pedestrian traffic will layer on top of economic output already generated by the Delta Center, which Mayor Mendenhall noted brings in over $970 million annually through Jazz fixtures, Mammoth matches, and concert events.
While construction logistics for the planned pedestrian paseo across 300 West remain under review—including concepts to lower the roadway and build a raised plaza—Smith Entertainment Group is moving forward with the district.
Whether or not you ever visit a convention, attend a game, go to a concert, or go to the symphony, this district has something for everyone. This is a place you’ll come visit with your family, hang out in the entertainment areas, watch games outside, eat at great local and new restaurants, and take in the new core of Salt Lake City.
Ryan Smith, Smith Entertainment Group CEO, via KUTV
Worth a look
