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- Developers broke ground on The Point's first phase at the former state prison site in Draper.
- The 104-acre phase one includes a 5,200-seat event center and 363-unit residential complex.
- Utah Gov. Spencer Cox calls it a 'gift to the future.'
DRAPER — The Point development was first envisioned in 2018, when Utah leaders faced a decision about how to use 600 acres of state-owned land that had been freed up by the relocation of the state prison from Draper to Salt Lake City.
Nearly a decade later, developers broke ground on the first phase of the site's redevelopment.
The Point aims to be a living-working community that will feature high walkability, with everything within a 15-minute walk from its heart, a river-to-mountain range trail accessible from the community, which will include retail, entertainment, innovation, educational, office and residential spaces all within approximately 600 acres, according to the plan's framework.
"What you are seeing here today is not one standalone project. It is the start of a complete district designed around the way people actually want to live and spend their time," Kip Wadsworth, president and CEO of Draper-based Wadsworth Development, said at Monday's groundbreaking ceremony.
Phase 1
First announced in 2023, the first phase of redevelopment for The Point will encompass a 104-acre downtown district, aimed at actually getting people to the site — not just driving by it — as soon as possible.
Wadsworth said Utahns will start to see "several major components" of the development begin construction, which include:
- A 5,200-seat event venue called the Mountain America Events Center will serve as a space for concerts, sporting events and community gatherings.
- Chroma is a 363-unit multifamily residential complex with 42,000 square feet of ground-floor retail.
- The Promenade, a 2,000-foot walkable street, is designed to be the "social heart" of The Point and a destination for dining, shopping and gathering.
"These projects are designed to work together, not independently," Wadsworth said. "The event center creates energy and a regional draw. The residential project brings life. The Promenade gives people a chance to walk, gather and connect."
Phase one's buildout also includes the construction of Convergence Hall, set to break ground in December, open in 2029 and serve as the permanent home of Utah's Nucleus Institute — an initiative aiming to bring together higher education, industry and government around a shared goal of collaborative innovation.
"These first vertical projects are the proof that The Point is moving forward, not only with momentum, but also with incredible purpose. We are not building for a single moment or a single audience. We are building a district that can grow with Utah, create long-term public value and become a place people are proud to experience, support and call part of their community," Wadsworth said.
What comes after?
Of course, the first phase only represents about one-sixth of the project's total area, with much more planned for the future.
Mike Ambre, executive director of The Point, said the build time for phase one was anticipated to be about 12 to 15 years, but added that he thinks developers are "ahead of schedule," and closer to around 10 years.
A fact sheet from The Point said the first buildings, public spaces and district anchors are anticipated to start opening in 2028.
Ambre added that the University of Utah's construction of a 46-acre, 200,000-square-foot medical campus will begin during the development's second phase.
The Draper site will expand the University of Utah Health's presence throughout the Salt Lake Valley and provide more convenient care for the southern edges of Salt Lake County and Utah County.
Utah Gov. Spencer Cox said that he sees The Point as more than just another construction project to build retail space and apartments.
"This is thinking about the best of Utah, and how we can move that forward for future generations," Cox said. "This place is real, it's incredible, but it's also a metaphor for our state. It's who we are. It's a gift to the future from the people of today."
More information on The Point can be found here.
