Abravanel Hall called a centerpiece of Salt Lake City to be enjoyed for generations
Oct 8, 2024, 5:06 PM | Updated: 5:50 pm

Abravanel Hall in Salt Lake City on Wednesday, May 8, 2024. (Jeffrey D. Allred, Deseret News)
(Jeffrey D. Allred, Deseret News)
SALT LAKE CITY — Abravanel Hall was hailed as a centerpiece of Salt Lake City’s cultural landscape, as a resolution was signed that aimed to ensure that changes to the city’s downtown will not affect the concert hall’s presence and importance for generations.
On Tuesday, the Salt Lake County Council signed what it called a landmark resolution committing to the preservation of Abravenl Hall, built in 1979. Concerns over the building’s longevity arose when the Smith Entertainment Group, along with Utah’s capital, were finalizing plans to make changes to downtown in order to introduce the NHL to Utah with the Utah Hockey Club, and retain the NBA.
The resolution, co-sponsored by councilmembers Dave Alvord and Jim Bradley, aimed to ensure that the home of the Utah Symphony would not be sacrificed to the proposed cityscape, and would receive “the careful planning and updates needed to ready it for the future,” according to a press release from the council.
A string quartet, acting as representatives of the Utah Symphony, attended the event to celebrate the historical occasion and honor the hall’s world-renowned design.
“Abravenl Hall is more than just a building,” Alvord said. “It’s a symbol of our commitment to arts, to culture, and to the unique identity of Salt Lake County. We’re proud to be part of ensuring that future generations can experience its world-class acoustics and architectural beauty.”
A petition with over 50,000 signatures preceded the resolution, garnering widespread support for the protection of Abravanel Hall from development plans that would threaten its existence and its integrity. The council’s commitment was said to echo Mayor Jenny Wilson’s assurances that any renovations will prioritize maintaining the hall’s features, while “allowing it to adapt to the evolving downtown landscape.”
The resolution called for collaboration between the Salt Lake County Council, Smith Entertainment Group, and Salt Lake City to keep the landmark a “vibrant hub for cultural activities, integrated into future revitalization efforts of the Sports, Entertainment, Culture, and Convention District.”
“Like so many in the community, we want the symphony to thrive for the next 50 years and beyond,” Wilson said. “I will continue to engage with the Utah Symphony to develop a viable renovation plan that will showcase the hall for decades to come.”
Wilson said future plans will include community input and ongoing collaboration.
“It is incredibly meaningful to me to see this resolution pass,” Bradley said. “I was honored to be part of the naming of Abravanel Hall after the esteemed conductor Maurice Abravanel. He left a legacy of world-class symphonic music in Utah. It is only fitting to his memory that we pass this resolution with a commitment to keep his legacy alive for generations to come.”