SALT LAKE CITY — Salt Lake County and Smith Entertainment Group announced early Friday the chosen partners in the next phase for the renovation of the Salt Palace Convention Center and the entire Sports, Entertainment, Culture and Convention district.

“These selections represent some of the best talent in the industry, with a unique and necessary blending of local and national expertise,” Salt Lake County Mayor Jenny Wilson said, in a press release Friday.

The vision for the new district is to transform the heart of downtown, providing walkability from the Delta Center all the way to City Creek. On Friday, the county confirmed to KSL TV that the back half of the Salt Palace Convention Center, which is now owned by Salt Lake County, will be demolished.

The area in question is the county-owned land between South Temple to 100 South and 200 West to 300 West, where the district will meet the Delta Center.

According to the release, the county selected global design practice, Populous Holdings, Inc. and Utah’s oldest architecture firm, MHTN Architects, to lead the renovation’s architectural efforts, while Utah-owned Construction Control Corporation and Sacramento consultancy Rider Levett Bucknall, or RLB were chosen to oversee construction.

In addition to the county’s selection, SEG announced the architecture and design firm HKS will lead the master design plan for the entire district. The company told KSL TV on Friday that HKS has 29 offices in nine countries and has been involved in the design of many sports and entertainment districts, including:

AT&T Stadium and Arlington Experience District, home of NFL’s Dallas Cowboys
Victory Plaza in Dallas, at the American Airlines Center, home of NBA’s Dallas Mavericks and NHL’s Dallas Stars
Huntington Bank Stadium Masterplan for NFL’s Cleveland Browns
SoFi Stadium, home of NFL’s Los Angeles Rams and Los Angeles Chargers

Salt Lake County’s Facilities Management Associate Division Director Ryan Henrie  said the goal is pretty ambitious: to connect City Creek, Abravanel Hall, the Salt Palace, Japan Town and the Delta Center, to “allow more walkable areas between the venues.”

“Right now there’s a lot of stops and starts so people have a hard time connecting to those spaces, this will really open that up I think,” he said Friday.

Demolition of the area is expected to begin in February 2027, the county said.

As of Friday, the total cost estimated for the new district project was set at $1.4 billion, which leaves $500 million unaccounted for, after SEG secured $900 million of that from a resolution with Salt Lake City.

The designs for the project are not due to be released until mid-to-late 2026.

A rendering shows a map of proposed plans for Salt Lake City’s entertainment district, released in 2024. (Salt Lake City)

“As excited as I am to see the new district develop and our visitor economy grow, I’m most excited about enhancing community opportunities through intentional placemaking,” Wilson said. “Through this collaborative effort, beloved venues and spaces will be improved and there will be better walkability and connectivity downtown. The reimagined area will serve as a gathering space for residents and visitors alike. We have deep gratitude for the Utah State Legislature, our partners at Salt Lake City, Smith Entertainment Group, and The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints for making this possible.”