Published October 14, 2026

A 6,000-Seat Concert Venue and a Car-Free Paseo: First Look at Salt Lake City's New Entertainment District

Written by Red Sign Team

Rendering of the car-free paseo in Salt Lake City's planned entertainment district near the Delta Center

Downtown Salt Lake City just got a detailed new look at what is coming next door to the Delta Center. On October 14, 2026, Smith Entertainment Group (SEG) released a roughly five-minute video and a set of renderings for the Salt Lake City entertainment district, officially called the Sports, Entertainment, Culture and Convention District. The plan includes a 6,000-seat Live Nation concert venue, a car-free pedestrian paseo, a new hotel, homes, shops and offices, a rebuilt Salt Palace Convention Center, a new art museum, and a Delta Center entrance turned to face east toward it all. SEG CEO Ryan Smith, Salt Lake City Mayor Erin Mendenhall and Salt Lake County Mayor Jenny Wilson presented the plans together, with demolition expected to start in early 2027 and the district targeted for completion before the 2034 Winter Olympics.

This post covers what the renderings show, the timeline, how the project is funded, and what it could mean for downtown and the Salt Lake County market. One note: this is a different project from the Power District on the west side, which we covered in our Power District post.

THE HEADLINERS: WHAT IS COMING

A 6,000-seat concert venue. A new Live Nation venue will sit next to the convention center. Smith said it is planned to host 80 to 120 concerts a year. SEG and Live Nation first announced the venue in 2025. Downtown Alliance executive director Dee Brewer told The Salt Lake Tribune that a venue of this size is a "missing piece" in downtown's entertainment offerings.

A car-free paseo from City Creek to the Delta Center. A pedestrian walkway will run through the middle of the district, connecting West Temple to 300 West, according to the Deseret News. "We're creating a walkway all the way through, and a paseo that connects the culture, convention, and sports and entertainment, all together with a central gathering place where families and people can come, experience local food, experience iconic brands and really have a cool place to go," Smith said in the video. Plans include artwork, a large musical note for the Utah Jazz and a mammoth sculpture for the Utah Mammoth.

A new front door for the Delta Center. The arena's main entrance will be rebuilt to face east, toward the new district. Sports Business Journal reports that the reoriented entrance is expected by summer 2028.

A hotel, homes, shops and offices. Renderings show a hotel, residential space, retail, restaurants and office space. The Tribune and Building Salt Lake both place the hotel just east of the Delta Center, across 300 West from the new arena entrance. SEG launched a survey in early October asking for input on retail with a "strong local vibe," to be mixed with national brands, KSL reported.

A new life for Japantown Street. About 400 feet of loading docks on 100 South, known as Japantown Street, will be replaced with retail, office space, streetscape and murals. The Japanese Church of Christ and the Salt Lake Buddhist Temple will stay where they are, according to the Deseret News.

Rendering of a public plaza with a mammoth sculpture, outdoor dining and shops in Salt Lake City's planned entertainment district

A planned plaza in the district. Rendering courtesy of Smith Entertainment Group.

WHAT IS ON THE BLOCK

The core of the new development sits on the block bounded by South Temple, 200 West, 100 South and 300 West (John Stockton Drive), between the Delta Center and the Salt Palace. SEG's site plan labels a hotel, a residential building, several retail spaces, an office building and a performance venue, all organized around a central plaza.

Site plan of the Salt Lake City entertainment district block between South Temple, 200 West, 100 South and 300 West, with labeled hotel, residential, retail, office and performance venue spaces next to the Delta Center and Salt Palace Convention Center

SEG's site plan for the block between the Delta Center and the Salt Palace. Rendering courtesy of Smith Entertainment Group.

Around that block, the larger district also includes:

A rebuilt Salt Palace Convention Center. Salt Lake County's plans call for a taller building with two ballrooms, flexible meeting rooms and new exhibit halls, designed to host multiple major conventions at once. "This is a once-in-a-generation chance to reimagine the Salt Palace from the ground up," Wilson said. The county says the Salt Palace will serve as the media center for the 2034 Games and is a potential curling site.
Abravanel Hall stays. The concert hall will remain in place, with updates to its back-of-house areas.
A new art museum. Plans include a new Utah Museum of Contemporary Art building.

Exact building heights, residential unit counts and office square footage have not been published. KSL reported that most buildings are planned at under 200 feet and that the hotel would reach nearly 250 feet.

Dusk rendering of the car-free paseo leading to the Delta Center, lined with a hotel, residential towers and a concert venue

The paseo looking toward the Delta Center. Rendering courtesy of Smith Entertainment Group.

TIMELINE AND KEY FACTS


Date	Milestone
2024 session	The Utah Legislature passed SB 272, which created the process for a revitalization zone of up to 100 acres around the Delta Center
October 1, 2024	The Salt Lake City Council approved the district and a 0.5% citywide sales tax, with up to $900 million going to the Delta Center renovation and district improvements
April 8, 2025	The City Council approved the Convention Center Public Infrastructure District, a state-mandated financing tool for an estimated $1.8 billion in upgrades that include the Salt Palace and the Delta Center
April 3, 2026	Salt Lake County entered Phase II of design for the Salt Palace rebuild
Early October 2026	SEG finished the second phase of its three-year Delta Center renovation
October 14, 2026	SEG, the city and the county released the district video and renderings
February to March 2027	Demolition is expected to begin, including part of the Salt Palace as early as March
Spring 2027	The county's estimated start of Salt Palace construction
Summer 2028	Delta Center's main entrance expected to face east
January 2031	The county's target for completing the Salt Palace
Before the 2034 Winter Games	The full district is planned for completion

Sources: Utah Legislature; Salt Lake City Council; Salt Lake County; Deseret News; The Salt Lake Tribune; KSL.com; Sports Business Journal.

HOW IT IS PAID FOR

The district is a public-private project. SEG says it is putting $3 billion of its own money into it. On the public side, Salt Lake City's 0.5% sales tax is expected to raise about $1.2 billion over 30 years, with up to $900 million set aside for the arena and the district. The Tribune reports that about $525 million of that goes to the Delta Center renovation and about $375 million to the district outside the arena. In exchange, the city's agreement with SEG includes public benefits such as the revitalization of historic Japantown, public art and workforce development.

WHAT THIS MEANS FOR DOWNTOWN SALT LAKE CITY

Right now the Salt Palace takes up a large stretch of downtown between the Delta Center and City Creek. "Prior to these district plans, when you left City Creek, you ran into the Salt Palace, and it created a wall separating our downtown," Mendenhall said. "The new district breaks down that wall and creates a walkable pedestrian connection all the way from City Creek to the Delta Center."

Mendenhall said the Delta Center already generates more than $970 million a year for the city's economy, and she expects the finished district to draw 5 million visitors a year. Brewer told the Tribune that about 31 million people came downtown last year.

Aerial rendering at dusk of the planned Salt Lake City entertainment district, showing a residential tower above a busy pedestrian plaza

An aerial view of the planned district at dusk, with a residential tower and plaza. Rendering courtesy of Smith Entertainment Group.

Expect some disruption along the way. Demolition and construction will run for years. Salt Lake County says it is still evaluating how the Salt Palace, Abravanel Hall and the Utah Museum of Contemporary Art will operate during construction, and plans for 300 West rest with the Utah Department of Transportation, which the video did not cover.

Rendering of an upscale indoor event space with floor-to-ceiling windows overlooking downtown Salt Lake City at night

A planned event space overlooking downtown. Rendering courtesy of Smith Entertainment Group.

WHAT IT COULD MEAN FOR SALT LAKE COUNTY REAL ESTATE

More reasons to live downtown. A walkable area with concerts, dining and new housing could draw more interest in downtown condos and nearby neighborhoods over time. That is general reasoning, not a prediction, and results depend on what gets built and on the wider market.
Watch for the residential details. Renderings show residential buildings, but unit counts, pricing and whether the homes will be rentals or for sale have not been announced.
Two big projects, two different areas. The downtown district and the west side Power District are moving on separate timelines. If you are comparing parts of Salt Lake City, judge each one on what is happening there.
Base decisions on today's market. Timelines can change. Before buying or selling, look at current listings and recent sales near you. You can search homes across Utah, explore Salt Lake City, or get a local home value estimate.

FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

What is the Salt Lake City entertainment district?

It is the Sports, Entertainment, Culture and Convention District planned around the Delta Center in downtown Salt Lake City. Smith Entertainment Group, Salt Lake City and Salt Lake County are behind it. Plans include a 6,000-seat Live Nation concert venue, a hotel, housing, retail, offices, a pedestrian paseo, a rebuilt Salt Palace, Abravanel Hall updates and a new art museum.

When will construction start on the Salt Lake City entertainment district?

Demolition is expected to begin in February and March 2027, according to The Salt Lake Tribune and Sports Business Journal. Salt Lake County estimates Salt Palace construction will begin in spring 2027. The full district is planned for completion before the 2034 Winter Olympics.

How big is the new concert venue?

The Live Nation venue will have 6,000 seats and is planned to host 80 to 120 concerts a year, according to Ryan Smith. It will sit next to the Salt Palace Convention Center.

Is this the same project as the Power District?

No. This district is downtown, around the Delta Center and the Salt Palace. The Power District is a separate project on Salt Lake City's west side, led by Larry H. Miller Real Estate. You can read about it in our Power District post.

Will there be homes in the new district?

Renderings and the site plan show residential buildings, and the plans released on October 14 include housing. Unit counts, prices and whether the homes will be rentals or for sale have not been announced yet.

TALK WITH RED SIGN

Red Sign Real Estate Team, part of Keller Williams Westfield in Orem, has been helping Utah buyers and sellers since 2008 and has earned 1,950+ five-star reviews. We work across Salt Lake County and the whole state. If you are thinking about a move downtown or anywhere in Utah, connect with our team.

Sources: Jeff Tavss, Fox 13, October 14, 2026 (fox13now.com); Carter Williams, KSL.com, October 14, 2026 (ksl.com); Dennis Romboy, Deseret News, October 14, 2026 (deseret.com); Shreyas Laddha and Jose Davila IV, The Salt Lake Tribune, October 14, 2026 (sltrib.com); Jacob Scholl, Building Salt Lake, October 14, 2026 (buildingsaltlake.com); Bret McCormick, Sports Business Journal, October 14, 2026 (sportsbusinessjournal.com); Salt Lake City Council, October 1, 2024 and April 8, 2025 (slc.gov); Salt Lake City SECC District site (secc-district-slcgov.hub.arcgis.com); Salt Lake County, April 3, 2026, and Salt Palace Convention Center Revitalization FAQ (saltlakecounty.gov); Utah Legislature, SB 272, 2024 (le.utah.gov).