Downtown Salt Lake City is the foremost center for sports, entertainment, culture, and education in the Mountain West. Demographic and economic data show the city’s population is growing, with new construction taking the urban center’s skyline to new heights. In the next few years, Utah’s capital faces an inspiring opportunity to potentially welcome thousands of new residents, a professional sports franchise, a second Olympic and Paralympic Winter Games, and related entertainment and cultural offerings.

These opportunities do not come without challenges. Social, economic, and environmental issues remain that must be addressed if downtown Salt Lake City is to continue to buck the trend of urban decline and instead serve as an example of what is possible for city centers across the nation.

On Nov. 30, as part of the “Storytelling through Data” series presented quarterly in partnership with the Salt Lake Tribune, the Gardner Institute was joined by city leaders and decision-makers for an in-depth discussion on the positive economic and demographic indicators that are driving Utah’s capital city’s success, as well as the challenges to be addressed by our leaders as the next chapter for downtown Salt Lake City begins. 

We were honored to welcome Salt Lake City Mayor Erin Mendenhall, Downtown Alliance Executive Director Dee Brewer, and Tribune News Reporter Tony Semerad to the panel.

The conversation was moderated by Gardner Institute director Natalie Gochnour.