PGA Tour, REI and lots of construction: What's coming to southern Utah

ST. GEORGE — Resorts, coffee shops, highway expansion projects, major tech centers and more.

Southern Utah is the fastest growing metro area in the United States, and its rapid growth means lots of construction and new businesses.

At the What's Up Down South economic conference Thursday, the mayor of each major city in southern Utah gave an update on growth and construction. Some cities also highlighted new local businesses and announced incoming projects. Here are the highlights:

St. George

• REI will open its first southern Utah location at the St. George Place Shopping Center in fall 2025.
• A new, larger city hall is being built on 61 S. Main Street and will be completed mid- to late-2025.
• 3000 East is being widened into a five-lane street, from Mall Drive to 2630 South, in order to alleviate traffic.
• Fire Station 1 is being upgraded, and Fire Station 10 is being built at 2070 E. Flowers Way, north of the Desert Canyons interchange off the Southern Parkway.
• Expansion of the waste water treatment plant is concluding.
• The St. George Regional Airport is in the midst of a multiyear expansion.

Ivins

• Black Desert Resort construction will continue into fall 2024, just in time to host the Professional Golfer's Association of America (PGA) Tour in October. Nearly $10 million in construction is planned to be completed each week.
• Tuacahn Center for the Arts is expanding its amphitheater capacity from approximately 2,000 seats to 2,450 seats.
• Hidden Springs RV Resort is under construction.
• Phase 1 of the U.S. 91 project has been completed, including new roundabouts and a multiuse bike lane and trail.

Washington

• A mixed-use community called Solente will include a Hyatt resort, a town center, and residential properties. The neighborhood will border the Red Cliffs Desert Reserve but maintain public access to the Elephant Arch, Dino Cliffs and Grapevine trails.
• The city's paved trail network has grown to over 25 miles with recent additions and planned trail heads at Grapevine, the base of Shinob Kibe, the Washington Canal Trail in the field, and Washington Parkway Trail.
• Multiple new parks have been added to the city, including Sunrise Valley Park and Phase 2 of Dogtown Park.
• Ground has been broken on the 15-acre Washington Wheels skate park.
• Quentin's Corner temporary food truck park has opened.
• Covington Home historical site is experiencing ongoing upgrades.
• A new road leading from Highland Parkway to Exit 13 is being built.
• Roads from exits 10 to 13 are being widened.
• A new interchange is under construction at Main Street to help alleviate traffic at Green Springs and provide access to downtown, which will experience infrastructure upgrades in coming years.
• New traffic lights have been installed along Telegraph Street to manage traffic.
• An interchange connecting George Washington Boulevard to the Southern Parkway is under construction.

Hurricane

• Pecan Valley Resort and water park are under construction.
• Skyrim commercial and residential neighborhood is under development.
• Three new restaurants have just opened: Jimmy John's, Del Taco and Scooter's Coffee.
• New store locations for Standard Plumbing and Ace Hardware are under construction, alongside three restaurant slots which are open for bids.
• A new road from 2800 West to extend Southern Parkway from the connection of state Route 7 to state Route 9 to 600 North should be open in the next several month, becoming the second connection for the city's north and south corridors.
• Quail Creek Industrial Park has 72 additional warehouse units along Regional Park Road.
• A new garage and storage company is being built for individuals to house boats and ATVs.
• The city is working on transmission power lines from 600 North to 3000 South.
• Fundraising is underway for a Veterans Memorial Park.

Santa Clara

• New businesses such as Harmons Grocery, Buck's Ace Hardware and Lamy's Mexican Grill have allowed residents to stay in the city more often instead of going into St. George.
• Santa Clara is in the midst of a multiyear plan to improve streets in the valley.
• The city is also in the midst of a program to increase diversity in housing types.
• The city purchases only 11% of its water from the Washington County Water Conservancy District.

Springdale

• Visitation to Zion National Park declined slightly from 2022, when 4.7 million people visited the park, but visitation is still up significantly from pre-COVID numbers.
• Canyon Coffee has opened near the entrance of Zion National Park.
• Phase 2 of the Paiute Trail across the river from the George Barker River Park was completed, and the expansion of the park is in the design phase.
• Utah Tech University will conduct a feasibility study which will decide the future of the OC Tanner Ampitheater.
• Springdale was certified as an official dark sky community in July 2023.
• The city adopted a workforce housing overlay zone to allow for increased density in residential zones, in part to help alleviate staffing issues local businesses have experienced.

Hildale

• The size of Hildale will be tripled due to the coming 2,200-acre commercial and residential neighborhood, Skye Valley. the development will add multiple new hiking and biking trails.
• Water Canyon Winery opened in 2022 and includes a resort and RV park.
• The governor's Office of Economic Opportunity awarded Hildale a grant to create an innovation center to provide a welcome center and resources for small businesses.
• Washington County School District has invested over $13 million in a new school in Hildale, adding a career and technical education building and creating Hildale's first track and field, football and baseball fields.
• Bee's Marketplace opened in late 2021 and now serves as a multifunctional event center, a lounge, a coffee shop and a bar.

La Verkin

• Zion Canyon Hot Springs Resort is coming soon to southern La Verkin.
• Gateway Luxury RV Resort is under construction.

Toquerville

• Construction is underway at Toquer Reservoir.
• A new Ash Creek Sewer plant will enable reuse water to be pumped back into Toquer Reservoir.

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