Estimated read time: 2-3 minutes
This archived news story is available only for your personal, non-commercial use. Information in the story may be outdated or superseded by additional information. Reading or replaying the story in its archived form does not constitute a republication of the story.
Shelley Osterloh ReportingOfficials have cut the ribbon on the brand new 58-million dollar Salt Palace expansion.
The new addition reportedly came in under budget and on time.
This new addition takes Salt Lake City up a notch when it comes to attracting new convention business.
Now the Salt Palace extends to Third West with a new glass front lobby and entrance to an additional 400 new parking spaces.
The Lobby opens to exhibit hall #5--a 145-thousand square foot hall--with a balcony that overlooks it all.
The other big addition is a three story building of meeting rooms.
This meeting space has 24-thousand square feet. But these are portable walls that they can slide in or out to create whatever configuration the client wants
The expansion adds 72-thousand square feet of meeting rooms.
The Salt Palace now boasts more than 500-thousand square feet stretching over a two square block area. It's so big, the staff uses motorized scooters if they are in a hurry to cover the half mile walk from one corner to the other.
The expansion was built to keep the Outdoor Retailers Trade show, an important client, and it will also mean bigger conventions in the future.
Allyson Jackson, GM, Salt Palace Convention Center: "They needed more exhibit space as well as meeting room space and we needed them in the city so the commitment was made and in 24 months we built this space for them "
Scott Beck, CEO, Salt Lake Convention & Visitors Bureau: "This expansion has already paid off. We've been able to maintain the repeat business with the Outdoor Retailers Annual Show and we've been able to put new business into this building that we would never have been able to before."
There's enough new carpet to cover a football field, enough concrete to pave a sidewalk from here to Wendover.
And in honor of the American Japanese community that once flourished on this land, there is a Japanese Garden.
