Salt Lake County considers future of Abravanel Hall, says renovations would cost $200M
SALT LAKE CITY (ABC4) — The Salt Lake County Council discussed the future of the iconic Abravanel Hall Tuesday after the Smith Entertainment Group’s plans to revitalize downtown Salt Lake ignited rumors of possible changes to — or complete demolition of — the building.
Earlier this month, community members rose in support of the county-owned concert hall after the entertainment group requested to lease the blocks east of the Delta Center.
Salt Lake County Mayor Jenny Wilson addressed the concerns last week saying she is working to preserve Abravanel Hall in its present form. However, Governor Spencer Cox commented the following day suggesting the cost of possible renovations may cross over with the cost to build “something better.”
Ahead of Tuesday’s county meeting, officials released a document titled “Abravanel Hall 2024 Masterplan Overview” detailing the potential renovations needed if the concert hall were to remain. Officials say the master plan was started more than a year ago before the NHL-inspired downtown revitalization plans were released.
RELATED: These buildings and areas have been named ‘most endangered’ by Preservation Utah
The document called Abravanel Hall “outdated” adding that it needs “significant renovations and upgrades to meet the needs of modern and future performers and patrons.” Areas in need of upgrading include accessibility and ADA compliance, key facility systems that are not up to current standards, and the small lobby and event spaces.
The master plan also listed other challenges such as inconsistent sound across the stage for musicians and for patrons in the first few rows as well as the perception held by some community members that the concert hall is “exclusive and not for them.”
The document estimates the total cost of the needed renovations and desired upgrades to be approximately $200 million.
During the meeting, Wilson said it would be a “fairly equal cost to rebuild versus renovate” as a new building would cost approximately $200 million to $250 million. The county council discussed how a new building would also need renovations in 50 years just as the current building requires upgrades after nearly half a century of operation.
Funding for the potential renovations has not yet been secured, and one city council member inquired whether funding would be easier to attain if they rebuilt a concert hall from scratch as part of the Smith Entertainment Group’s revitalized downtown vision. Officials said they do not yet have an answer for that.
Wilson said they still have several months to make these decisions, and the conversation will continue in future meetings.
Copyright 2024 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to ABC4 Utah.
