SALT LAKE COUNTY, Utah — Salt Lake County announced that it has entered Phase II of design and planning for the comprehensive reconstruction of the Calvin R. Rampton Salt Palace Convention Center, marking a major step toward a more modern, connected and visitor-focused destination in downtown Salt Lake.
Additionally, Salt Lake County announced a complete planning, architectural, and construction team to realize the transformation of the Salt Palace Convention Center by 2031. It will prioritize coordinating closely with nearby stakeholders to enrich the broader 50-acre district into a connected walkable vital section of downtown which will ultimately serve as a modernized gathering place focusing on entertainment, sport, conventions, and culture.
“The creation of the Sports, Entertainment, Culture and Convention District (SECC) is a generational opportunity to reinvent a vital section of our state’s capital city,” said Salt Lake County Mayor Jenny Wilson. “With strong support from our community partners and world-class project team, we are confident this investment will result in a fundamentally reimagined section of downtown serving local residents, area business as well as visitors to downtown Salt Lake.”
Part of the design concept involves adding a second full-service ballroom to the convention center that enables Salt Lake to host multiple major events simultaneously, something meeting planners have long requested, and competitors already offer. This addition will help to generate an estimated $105 million in additional annual economic impact on top of the $300 million per year that the center already generates in its current form. The facility will retain a similar square footage total while enhancing connectivity between levels to create better attendee flow, reduce congestion, and improve the overall event experience. These improvements position the Salt Lake to support future major events and continue growing as a premier convention destination.
To support the reconstruction, the County has also finalized its project team with the addition of Jacobsen Construction and AECOM Hunt, chosen through a competitive RFP process. Operating as a joint venture, the firms will lead construction for the redevelopment.
The construction firms join local architectural firm MHTN Architects and global firm Populous, which specializes in stadium and venue design. Construction management services are provided by Construction Control Corporation and Rider Levett Bucknall (RLB). The on-going operations of the convention center are provided by Legends Global. These firms together provide the local and global expertise to deliver a revitalized facility aligned with the broader goals of the Sports, Entertainment, Culture and Convention (SECC) District.
As part of the County’s development of a vibrant, connected SECC District and downtown, this team will also join Salt Lake County Arts & Culture to oversee renovation of the back-of-house of Maurice Abravanel Hall, aligning with lead architect Sparano + Mooney Architects, and the Visual Arts Center, home to the Utah Museum of Contemporary Art (UMOCA), joining lead architect Allied Works. Together with the Salt Palace Convention Center, these three buildings and surrounding public space are being designed under a unified project team to enhance connectivity and public impact of the culture and convention components of the SECC District.
Funding for the project is made possible through the Convention Center Revitalization Zone (CCRZ) and tax increment financing mechanisms designed to reinvest in the County’s convention and tourism infrastructure. The selected design concept will ensure the most cost-effective path forward, maximizing the value of public investment while still achieving the features of a world-class facility.
“When conventions thrive, our community thrives,” Kaitlin Eskelson, President and CEO of Visit Salt Lake shared. “Tourism currently injects $6.1 billion into the Salt Lake County economy annually, and this modernization of our convention center improves our ability to better serve residents and visitors by offering a more seamless and connected experience in the area. It will also generate more hotel stays, more restaurant traffic and more tax revenue to reinvest in the County.”
As the project moves into the next phase of design development, additional details and timelines will be released as they become available. Salt Lake County will continue to share updates as the project advances. Additionally, design concepts for Abravanel Hall’s back of house renovation and the Visual Arts Center are also still under development.
About Salt Lake County
Salt Lake County is Utah’s most populous county, home to over 1.2 million residents and the state capital, Salt Lake City. The county provides a wide range of services including public health, parks and recreation, criminal justice, and economic development. Under Mayor Jenny Wilson’s leadership, the county has prioritized public safety, infrastructure investment, sustainability, and economic growth that benefit all residents. For more information, visit saltlakecounty.gov.
About Jacobsen Construction
Jacobsen Construction brings more than a century of Utah-based construction leadership. As a 100% employee-owned company, Jacobsen has earned recognition as one of the nation’s top contractors, including 17 consecutive years on ENR’s Top 100 Green Contractors list. Jacobsen’s recent projects include the award-winning Astra Tower in downtown Salt Lake City, which earned Utah Construction & Design’s Project of the Year honors, along with the Grand Hyatt Deer Valley and Intermountain Health Primary Children’s Hospital campuses.
About AECOM Hunt
AECOM Hunt is the nation’s leading builder of convention centers, stadiums, and large public assembly venues. Founded in 1944, AECOM Hunt holds the #1 ranking for Sports construction from Engineering News-Record (ENR) and has built 16 NFL stadiums, 18 MLB stadiums, and 18 NBA arenas. Their convention center experience is equally impressive—AECOM Hunt recently completed the $3.2 million square foot renovation of the Las Vegas Convention Center while keeping the facility fully operational and is currently leading the $3.7 billion expansion of the Kay Bailey Hutchison Convention Center in Dallas, as well as the $500 million Fort Worth Convention Center expansion.
About Construction Control Corporation (CCC)
Construction Control Corporation is a Utah company that has provided cost estimating services for the construction industry since its founding in 1984. They have estimated over 4,000 projects, ranging from minor remodels to $200 million building programs. They estimate all aspects of the construction project, including mechanical and electrical systems. Unlike general contractors who assemble costs from subcontractors and suppliers, Construction Control Corporation quantifies and prices all materials, labor and equipment in the project. Their clients include architects, owners, developers, contractors, and government entities.
About Rider Levett Bucknall (RLB)
Rider Levett Bucknall is a global independent construction, property, and management consultancy providing a full range of services to maximize value in all areas of the built environment. RLB has a long tradition of delivering expert advice on some of the region’s most iconic projects from transforming and modernizing the Sacramento Convention Center in California to working alongside University of Colorado Health to deliver ground-breaking healthcare facilities and assisting architects to deliver environmentally friendly high-rise buildings like the PNC Tower in Pennsylvania.
About MHTN Architects
Founded in 1923, MHTN Architects is Utah’s oldest architecture firm with a century-long commitment to creating meaningful spaces that enhance community life. The firm has designed many of Utah’s landmark buildings across sectors including education, healthcare, civic and commercial. MHTN recently became the first architectural firm in Utah to achieve WELL Building Certification for their Salt Lake City headquarters, demonstrating their leadership in creating healthy, sustainable environments.
About Populous
Populous is a global architecture and design practice specializing in creating environments that draw people together for shared experiences. With over 40 years of experience and offices on five continents, Populous has designed some of the world’s most recognizable sports venues, convention centers, and exhibition facilities. The firm’s portfolio includes work for major events including the Olympics, FIFA World Cup and Super Bowl. Populous has extensive experience in convention center design, including projects such as the BMO Centre expansion in Calgary and their recent selection for Lincoln’s new Downtown Convention Center alongside Clark & Enersen Partners.
About Legends Global
Legends Global is the premier partner to the world’s greatest live events, venues, and brands. We deliver a fully integrated solution of premium services, including feasibility & consulting, owner’s rep, sales, partnerships, venue management, hospitality, merchandise, and content & booking. Through our white-label approach, we keep our partners front and center while leveraging the power of our global network: over 450 venues, 20,000 events, and 165 million guests annually.