An aerial view of the Power District with downtown Salt Lake City in the background. (Courtesy Larry H. Miller Co.)
If Soren Simonsen’s dream comes true, by the year 2032, kayaks will fill the Jordan River, while a home run hit by a Major League left-handed batter splashes into the waters near them. That’s part of the vision behind a major redevelopment plan for the Power District that runs adjacent to the river and a revitalized Utah State Fairpark.
Simonsen, executive director of the Jordan River Commission, spoke along with other dignitaries at a press event Feb. 26 on the Fairpark grounds, announcing a $3.5 billion private investment from the Larry H. Miller Co. for the district, a community-driven plan for revitalization of a one-mile loop of the Jordan River. Field Operations, a nationally known landscape architecture and design firm, has been hired to work on the massive project.
“Our approach begins with listening to the community and working closely with partners, while grounding the design in the realities of the river’s ecology and infrastructure,” said Richard Kennedy, partner with Field Operations. He said his company has a long history of helping cities with such transformations, coordinating natural resources into public spaces.
Plans for the Power District include a one-mile loop of riverside restoration, including restored habitat and improved public access; 4,700 housing units offering diverse types and price points, including family-friendly two- and three-bedroom options; 1.3 million square feet of office space designed as a corporate campus; 320,000 square feet of retail space; and 300 hotel keys (for hotels to be developed within the district). Central to the plan is a potential stadium for a Major League Baseball team that Salt Lake City hopes will be awarded during future league expansion. Salt Lake is considered a front-runner for a team when MLB makes a decision about expansion, with that announcement expected in 2028.
An artist rendering of the proposed MLB stadium in the Power District, even as efforts continue to get an expansion team for Salt Lake City. (Courtesy Larry H. Miller Co.)
“Bringing the Jordan River to life is a once-in-a-generation opportunity to invest in this critical Utah asset,” said Steve Starks, CEO of the Larry H. Miller Co. “Together with our partners and neighbors, we will create a safe, welcoming place for families, expanding access to nature, and building a vibrant gateway to Utah’s capital city.”
Artists’ renderings of the Power District — showing kayaks on the river, improvements at the Fairpark, walking paths and of course the ballpark — were on display at the event. Attendees were also invited to leave suggestions for what they’d like to see in the development on Post-it notes pasted on a message board. Several efforts have been made over the past few years to improve and clean up sections of the Jordan River. The Power District plan will be the most intense and aggressive of any so far.
“A healthy Jordan River means a healthier future for all of us, and the abundant wildlife that shares in the life-giving elements of this resource,” Simonsen said. The Miller Co. plans to improve the water quality and add native species of plants and fish to the river as well.
Salt Lake City Mayor Erin Mendenhall expressed her gratitude to the Larry H. Miller Co. and said the city “already has work underway along the Jordan River, and this Power District vision will complement that effort. It shows what’s possible when public and private investment head in the same direction.”
The district already has over 100 acres of “shovel-ready” property, with flexible zoning and building options. It will also be home to Rocky Mountain Power’s 10-story, 300,000-square-foot corporate campus that’s already under construction.
No starting date for other construction has been announced, as Field Operations is still seeking more input from the community before the project begins.