3 takeaways from SLC's latest downtown sports district plan

New details of a proposed downtown SLC sports district were unveiled this week, with drawings and financial estimates released for the first time.

Why it matters: Some residents shared doubts at a public hearing Tuesday about the 0.5% sales tax increase to help Jazz owner Ryan Smith and his company, Smith Entertainment Group (SEG), bring Utah's new hockey team to town .

Catch up quick: The project would encompass the Delta Center and the two blocks to its east, ending at West Temple.

• The area now includes the north and west parts of the Salt Palace Convention Center, Abravanel Hall, the Utah Museum of Contemporary Art , a bank, a Radisson Hotel, a church and a Japanese garden to commemorate the historic Japantown enclave.
• SEG would lease the property , giving Smith control over a large part of central downtown.

Here are three main takeaways from the new information:

1. What would change

The west arm of the Salt Palace would be replaced by a hotel and an apartment high-rise, per drawings released Tuesday by SEG.

• A walkway and plaza would cut through the block and extend across 200 West, which already runs underground beneath the Salt Palace.
• Commercial space for entertainment and dining would line the north side of the walkway.

The Delta Center and surrounding plaza would be renovated with more street-side commercial space on what are now small plazas on the corners adjacent to 300 West.

• SEG reps confirmed they're in talks with state transportation officials to tunnel 300 West underground , making room for a new event plaza above it.
• A parking garage would replace the loading docks near 400 West.

The intrigue: SEG's plans do not address the block containing Abravanel Hall, whose future is uncertain amid needed renovations . That area of the map is simply called "Phase 2."

2. The projected tax bill

The average SLC household would pay $120-$150 in added sales tax, policy analyst Natalie Gochnour estimated as part of SEG's presentation Tuesday .

• That's notably lower than the Salt Lake Tribune's previous estimate of about $220 per household.

Caveat: Because sales tax is based on consumption, some families would pay much more or much less than that.

The big picture: State lawmakers authorized Salt Lake to collect up to $900 million in taxes, most of which — 75% to 80%, Gochnour said — would be paid by out-of-towners who spend money while visiting.

3. Who's paying

SEG has committed $3 billion to the project.

• About $500,000 of the public funding would go to the Delta Center and plaza, with $300,000 for the surrounding entertainment district, SEG executive Mike Maughan told KSL.com .

Yes, but: It's unclear how much of that would support the county-owned Abravanel Hall or the potential tunnel for state-owned 300 West.

What's next: The city council could vote on the tax as early as July 2.

• Maughan told the council Delta Center renovations are slated for April 2025, but SEG won't "move a single brick" until it has finalized plans with the city.

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