Community Development
We convene Downtown stakeholders, advocate for their interests, and support transformative projects for Downtown prosperity.
Downtown Advisories & Construction Mitigation
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More than 75 local vendors set to participate
Salt Lake City – The Downtown Farmers Market is excited to return to The Gateway for the Winter season with a record number of vendors. Offering local produce, fresh meats, and baked foods along with arts and crafts, the Market will open November 9, 10-2pm at 32 North Rio Grande Street, just north of the Olympic fountains.
The Winter Downtown Farmers Market continues each Saturday through April 19.
“With 75 vendors, this will be our largest Winter Market ever,” said Program Director, Carly Gillespie. “We are proud to be a catalyst for some of Utah’s beloved brands like Laziz, Baby Bagels, and Rico Brands. Our large platform at The Gateway allows us to offer more opportunities to small businesses. And, our customers can expect to find special items for holiday dinners and unique gifts for under the tree.”
Salt Lake’s Downtown Alliance launched the Downtown Farmers Market 33 years ago; now, over 254,000 shoppers visit the Market every year, making it one of Utah’s largest events. While the Market is staged in Downtown Salt Lake, it is a statewide economic driver with 16 of Utah’s counties represented, and $11 million in annual direct-to-consumer sales.
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Luminus sculpture installations are on display through February
Salt Lake City – The Downtown Alliance and The Blocks Arts District are adding a layer of luminous magic to the Gallivan Plaza with the fourth season of GLOW at Gallivan, now ready to be experienced through March 1. Glow is made possible in part through a generous donation from the George S. and Dolores Doré Eccles Foundation.
Emily Nicolosi and In Theory Art Collective have created dozens of sculptures designed with thousands of dichroic pieces that glow at night and reflect the full spectrum of color during the day. Many of the works are designed for the people to interact with the pieces. The sculptures elevate an already festive Gallivan Center experience which is adorned with holiday lights and brimming with ice skaters.
“We started creating art for Burning Man,” said Nicolosi. “It’s a place that inspired us to try new things like making art and figuring out how to do it together, as a collective. We hope our art creates a magical moment in your day, and inspires you to think about the best parts of being human: our wishes, dreams, and love for each other.”
“There are hundreds of holiday performances downtown and GLOW at Gallivan sculptures expand the experience for everyone celebrating downtown in December,” said Dee Brewer, executive director of Downtown Alliance. “GLOW will continue to light up downtown for those enjoying arts, entertainment and dining during Salt Lake City’s beautiful winter nights.
“The Blocks are thrilled to partner with In Theory Art Collective to provide this free, fun, and accessible experience,” said The Blocks program director, Britney Helmers.
WHAT Glow Garden at Gallivan: immersive holiday light festival
WHEN Sculpture garden open through March 1, 2024
WHERE Gallivan Center Plaza
200 South between Main Street and State Street, SLCCAPTURE Interviews can be arranged with the artist.
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MAYOR MENDENHALL AND UTAH TRANSIT AUTHORITY CELEBRATE THE CONSTRUCTION MILESTONE
The completion of the 200 South corridor reconstruction marks a significant improvement in infrastructure, accessibility, and transportation for our community.
The rebuilt corridor makes way for 34 buses-an-hour serving 10 bus routes that improve east-west connections.
This project underscores Salt Lake City’s commitment to modernizing our city's transit systems, enhancing pedestrian safety, and fostering economic growth across the city.
We invite members of the media to join us as community leaders unveil these improvements and explain the long term investments being made in our city.
WHAT: Join Downtown stakeholders for a ribbon cutting commemorating the milestone completion of Utah’s busiest transit streets, 200 South.
WHO: Dee Brewer, executive director, Downtown Alliance Salt Lake City Mayor Erin Mendenhall
UTA Representative Name, Title
Duncan Burrell, owner, Bar-X and Beer BarWHEN: Tuesday, December 10, 2024 10:30am
WHERE: 200 South and Main Street
Bus platform, outside Hotel Monaco
Parking will be validated for Gallivan Center Parking
Sports, Entertainment, Culture, & Convention District
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The Downtown Alliance was created by downtown commercial property owners to invigorate downtown and promote it as the regional center for commerce, culture and entertainment.
The Alliance supports the proposed investments by Salt Lake City, Salt Lake County, and Smith Entertainment Group to build what they have described as a “downtown experience [that] will serve as the state’s anchor for arts, culture, sports, and entertainment.”
These ambitious investments build on the billions of dollars that our stakeholders have already invested downtown.
Downtown Alliance data shows that sports, arts and entertainment are major drivers in the growing downtown economy and they are enjoyed by patrons across the region.
In our conversations with downtown stakeholders–property owners, arts and entertainment producers, destination marketers, and merchants–they have made these points:
They want entertainment district development efforts to succeed.
Stakeholders want the new entertainment assets to be integrated with the existing commercial nodes and arts assets that are fueling the downtown economy. An entertainment district cannot stand alone.
Planning should consider the myriad patron groups that infuse a city with energy and the variety of uses that attract those patrons downtown, day and night.
They want the planning process to incorporate transportation stakeholders (City, State and UTA) to ensure optimal access to downtown and through downtown.
Our stakeholders want the planning and execution of these investments to be done collaboratively. Our stakeholders have experience developing and operating downtown and they want to bring that experience to a holistic plan for vitalizing the capital city. Downtown stakeholders want to shape their investments and development plan to serve the larger, collaborative vision.
We urge leaders at the City, the County, and Smith Entertainment Group to engage downtown stakeholders in planning and developing entertainment assets downtown.