Salt Lake County approves sale of Salt Palace land to Smith Entertainment Group

The Salt Lake County Council has approved the sale of approximately 6.5 acres of the Salt Palace Convention Center property to the Smith Entertainment Group (SEG) to support a new downtown arts, sports, and entertainment district. The land, comprising about 20% of the convention center's capacity and including major exhibit halls and a parking garage, is intended to help connect key downtown venues like the Delta Center, Abravanel Hall, Temple Square, and others. Proceeds from the sale will help offset the estimated $1.28 billion cost of modernizing and expanding the Salt Palace, including adding a second ballroom and upgrading event spaces. The transition of the land to taxable status could generate nearly $5 million annually in new property tax revenue for the county. County officials view the sale as essential for both funding convention center improvements and facilitating broader downtown revitalization, with public hearings held prior to the council vote. The district's redevelopment aims to position Salt Lake City to attract more national and international events, including supporting potential future Olympic venues.