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Downtown Salt Lake City faces months of street closures starting in 2027

Downtown Salt Lake City faces months of street closures starting in 2027

Built World Salt Lake City, UT local

Temple open house and a $3 billion convention district rebuild land in the same year

October 23rd, 2026: KSL reports on 2027 closures and district renderings

Overview

Updated Oct 27

Salt Lake City will close blocks of North Temple, West Temple and South Temple from March through October 2027, when the renovated Salt Lake Temple opens to the public. The church expects about 22,000 visitors a day, comparable to a general conference crowd, and has secured two west-side park-and-ride lots with more than 1,700 stalls.

Demolition for the Delta Center entertainment district could start as early as February 2027 and close the tunneled section of 200 West. Smith Entertainment Group plans a convention district with a 6,000-seat concert venue and an art museum, funded partly by a city-approved half-point sales tax that could raise about $900 million. Church leaders have raised concerns that the historic Japantown area could stay a loading dock, and the buildout is expected to take five to six years.

Why it matters

Downtown commuters face years of detours as the temple open house and a convention district rebuild land in the same year.

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Key Indicators

22,000
Daily visitors expected at temple open house
The church expects this volume during the April 5 to Oct 1 open house.
6
Months of temple open house street closures
Approved closures run from March through October 2027.
1,700+
Park-and-ride stalls leased by the church
Two lots, at North Temple and Redwood Road and at South Temple and Redwood Road, with free shuttles to 200 West.
5-6
Years expected for entertainment district construction
Project spans convention center, art museum and private developments, per Downtown Alliance ombudsman Bill Knowles.
2034
Winter Olympics completion deadline
All participating entities aim to finish construction before Salt Lake City hosts the games.

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People Involved

JB
Juan Becerra
Government and community relations manager, The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints
Presenting the church's parking and shuttle plan to Salt Lake City community councils ahead of the 2027 open house
 Lynn Jacobs
Lynn Jacobs
Transportation director, Salt Lake City
Leading city traffic planning for 2027 closures
 Bill Knowles
Bill Knowles
Community ombudsman, Salt Lake City Downtown Alliance
Tracking entertainment district project timeline
 Chris Wharton
Chris Wharton
Salt Lake City Councilmember, District 3
Voted to approve street closures
 Russell M. Nelson
Russell M. Nelson
Late president, The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints
Announced open house before his passing

Organizations Involved

The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints
The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints
Religious organization
Preparing parking, shuttles and a security perimeter for the 2027 temple open house

Owns Temple Square and the renovated Salt Lake Temple, which will hold a public open house from April 5 to October 1, 2027.
Salt Lake City Council
Salt Lake City Council
Municipal legislature
Approved temporary street closures for temple open house

Unanimously approved a request to close downtown streets from March to October 2027 for the temple reopening.
Smith Entertainment Group
Smith Entertainment Group
Private company
Leading sports, entertainment, culture and convention district redevelopment

Owns the Delta Center and is driving the redevelopment of the surrounding blocks into a mixed-use district.
Utah Department of Transportation
Utah Department of Transportation
State agency
Oversees State Street and 300 West projects affecting downtown

Manages state roads in downtown Salt Lake City, including the State Street reopening at Capitol Hill and potential 300 West work.

Timeline

December 2019 February 2034

11 events Latest: October 23rd, 2026 · 3 weeks ago Showing 8 of 11
Tap a bar to jump to that date

  1. Winter Olympics return to Salt Lake City

    Upcoming Event

    City hosts the Winter Games; district construction is targeted for completion before this date.

  2. Open house ends, closures lifted

    Upcoming Event

    Temple open house closes and street closures around Temple Square are scheduled to end.

  3. Salt Lake Temple open house begins

    Upcoming Event

    Public tours start, drawing an expected 22,000 daily visitors through October 1.

  4. Street closures take effect

    Upcoming Transportation

    North Temple, West Temple and South Temple close around Temple Square for the open house.

  5. Salt Palace partial deconstruction begins

    Upcoming Construction

    Demolition of the convention center section starts, closing the tunneled 200 West underpass.

  6. KSL reports on 2027 closures and district renderings

    Latest Report

    KSL details street closure plans and Smith Entertainment Group's new entertainment district renderings.

  7. Church details park-and-ride plan for temple open house

    Transportation

    Church officials told the Fairpark Community Council they secured two west-side lots holding more than 1,700 cars, with free shuttles running to a drop-off between North Temple and South Temple on 200 West.

  8. Church leaders voice concern over Japantown redevelopment

    Report

    Church leaders told KSL they fear the Smith Entertainment Group plan could leave historic Japantown as the loading dock area behind the Salt Palace.

  9. City Council approves temple street closures

    Government

    Council unanimously approves closing downtown roads from March to October 2027 for the open house.

  10. Temple scaffolding fully removed

    Construction

    Six years of construction wrap up as the final scaffolding comes down.

  11. Salt Lake Temple renovation begins

    Construction

    Six-year renovation project starts, including seismic upgrades and interior restoration.

Scenarios

1

Temple open house runs smoothly despite road closures

Possible Resolves by Oct 2, 2027

Discussed by: Salt Lake City transportation officials and church planners, per KSL

The park-and-ride lot at North Temple and Redwood Road draws out-of-town visitors, the free shuttle runs daily, and commuters adapt to alternate routes on Victory Road, State Street and 400 South. Pre-open-house test runs in March let officials adjust before the April 5 start.

2

Downtown congestion forces mid-open-house plan changes

Possible Resolves by Jun 1, 2027

Discussed by: Downtown residents and community council members quoted by KSL

In-state visitors ignore the west-side parking lot and drive directly to Temple Square, overwhelming downtown streets. The city and church respond by extending shuttle hours, changing closure boundaries, or adding park-and-ride capacity.

3

Entertainment district construction slips past Olympics deadline

Unlikely Resolves by Jan 1, 2034

Discussed by: Bill Knowles and project stakeholders via KSL

The five-to-six-year project hits delays from demolition complications, design changes or funding shortfalls. If work isn't substantially complete by late 2033, construction could overlap with Winter Olympics preparations, forcing the city to coordinate competing logistics.

Historical Context

2 moments from history that rhyme with this story — and how they unfolded.

Late 2000s-2012

City Creek Center development (2010s)

Salt Lake City's last major downtown redevelopment: a 23-acre mixed-use center built on former church-owned blocks. The project included underground parking connections and new public streets.

Then

Construction disrupted downtown traffic for years, but the center became a retail anchor for the city.

Now

It set a precedent for large private developments reshaping downtown with public infrastructure ties.

Why this matters now

Bill Knowles directly compares the Delta Center district project to City Creek, citing the same pattern of private development driving downtown transformation.

1995-2002

Salt Lake City 2002 Winter Olympics preparation (1990s-2002)

Salt Lake City overhauled downtown infrastructure in the run-up to the 2002 Winter Games, including new light rail lines and street improvements. The city faced a hard deadline for global visibility.

Then

Infrastructure improvements were completed in time, and the games ran successfully.

Now

The 2002 games established Salt Lake City's reputation for hosting large international events.

Why this matters now

The 2034 Olympics creates a similar deadline-driven dynamic, with the entertainment district targeted for completion before the games arrive.

Sources

(9)
+4
KSL.com Salt Lake City Council Office KUTV Deseret News Salt Lake Business Journal Salt Lake City KSL.com Salt Lake City MyStreet KSL.com