SALT LAKE CITY — The Salt Palace Convention Center is set to close in fall 2027 for a major renovation and will stay closed for about three years, along with redevelopment plans tied to land purchased by Smith Entertainment Group.
Salt Lake County officials said construction is expected to begin in spring 2027 and finish by January 2031.
FanX Salt Lake Comic Convention is already planning changes. The event will split into two smaller conventions in March and September 2027 while the Salt Palace operates at half capacity before it closes. The convention will move to the Mountain America Expo Center in Sandy during the full closure.
“Absolutely concerned about how the event will be affected,” said Dan Farr, founder of FanX Salt Lake. “Any time you change something this major, there’s always a risk that it doesn’t appeal to the fans the same way.”
Last year, the Smith Entertainment Group, led by Utah Jazz owner Ryan Smith purchased a piece of land where part of the Salt Palace currently sits, with the intention of building an expanded entertainment district." It includes the 6.5-acre square block just east of the Delta Center, which is owned by Salt Lake County.
County officials said the Japanese Garden property on that block was not part of the sale and it will continue to be owned and maintained by the county.
It is not yet clear where other major conventions that come to Salt Lake regularly will relocate during the closure.
The changes are also raising concerns for nearby businesses that depend on the convention's traffic.
Wyatt Henrie, a barista at Three Pines Coffee on Main Street, said conventions bring in a steady stream of customers every year.
“We have thousands of customers coming in just from conventions and fun things they do there,” Henrie said.
With limited parking downtown, Henrie said the shop relies heavily on foot traffic from the Salt Palace.
“I do think this could impact us a lot,” he said. “It’s kind of concerning. I think we’ll just have to adapt.”
Visit Salt Lake said in a statement:
“We recognize the impact this construction period will have on downtown businesses, and we are committed to proactively sustaining the visitor economy throughout. Visit Salt Lake is establishing an Activation and Experience Committee, bringing together hotel partners, hospitality and business leaders, and cultural organizations to coordinate programming, visitor engagement and economic support for the surrounding area.
"This decision will enable us to build back a much more cohesive convention center that enables us to host simultaneous events and generate even greater economic impact. We are confident that this will bring much better long-term impact for everyone in our downtown community.”
Downtown Alliance executive director Dee Brewer said this change will pose a challenge for businesses during the middle of the week.
“That’s where convention years are so important,” Brewer said. “They’re here during a period of time in the week when we need them.”
He said the Downtown Alliance is working with Visit Salt Lake and Salt Lake County on plans to support downtown businesses during the three-year closure.
