Legendary composer John Williams urges Salt Lake to ‘preserve and protect’ Abravanel Hall

More than 45,000 people have signed an online petition calling on Salt Lake City, Salt Lake County and the Smith Entertainment Group to preserve Abravanel Hall as they piece together a plan to create a “sports, entertainment, culture and convention” district in downtown Salt Lake City.

But the concert hall may have received its biggest endorsement yet in the form of a letter.

Legendary composer John Williams — known for his countless iconic film scores over the past several decades — recently penned a letter calling for Abravanel Hall to be preserved, calling it a "crown jewel in the cultural life of Salt Lake City."

"In our fast-moving technological age, great music performed by world-class orchestras before live audiences is a vital thread that binds us to our cultural past and to our collective future," the letter reads, in part. "This simply wouldn't be possible without temples of music like Abravanel Hall. I urge you to preserve and protect this artistic treasure."

Williams signed the letter on July 10, but it was made public by the Utah Symphony on Thursday. Its release comes as Salt Lake County leaders continue to weigh their options for the building, which became the center of concern when Smith Entertainment Group requested two blocks east of the Delta Center for a major project that would keep the Utah Jazz and Utah Hockey Club downtown.

Salt Lake County Mayor Jenny Wilson said in May that she wants to keep Abravanel Hall "in its present form," However, recently released emails show that the county had strongly considered a plan to demolish the building and rebuild it on a vacant Main Street lot a few blocks away before public pushback against demolishing the 45-year-old venue.

The cost of preserving and renovating the building is expected to cost about $200 million , similar to the cost of rebuilding it.

Williams wrote that he has a few ties to the building. It's where he recorded his musical theme for the 2002 Salt Lake City Winter Olympics , and he conducted the Boston Pops Orchestra during "several visits" to the concert hall over the years. He wrote that he also "admired greatly" former Utah Symphony conductor Maurice Abravanel, whom the building is named for, "both as a person and as an artist."

"Abravanel Hall, with its elegant design and splendid acoustics," he added. "It is an iconic landmark of which all your fellow citizens can and should be justly proud. It must be preserved for future generations to enjoy."

Current Utah Symphony leaders and musicians — who have called on local leaders to preserve the building during multiple public hearings since May — were thrilled to learn that Williams is now backing the cause.

The symphony often holds events celebrating the legendary composer's works, adding to his ties to the building.

"It is an honor for Utah that (Williams) considers our magnificent Abravanel Hall to be among the finest," said Utah Symphony concertmaster Madeline Adkins in a statement. "Maestro Williams has a true generosity of spirit, and we are so grateful for his support as we endeavor to preserve this beautiful space for future generations to enjoy."

Salt Lake County has yet to unveil its final plans for the two blocks east of the Delta Center, which also includes the Salt Palace Convention Center and Utah Museum of Contemporary Art. Salt Lake City and Smith Entertainment Group reached an agreement on a downtown revitalization plan the day before Williams' letter, stipulating that Smith must reach a land lease agreement by July 1, 2025; otherwise, the agreement may unravel.

The agreement must also receive state approval before it’s finalized. A state committee is expected to decide on that by mid-August before the Salt Lake City Council can vote whether to approve a proposed 0.5% sales tax and rezoning changes tied to the project.