Salt Lake City: Official Development News Thread - Part 5

[Comrade]

Originally Posted by bob rulz

I'm a bit unclear, it seems like the logo might change in 2029. I hope so, because that is an absolutely hideous design.

We already knew they were going to force a change to Utah 2034 so that is no surprise. Annoying, but not surprising.

Yes but wasn't the original change 'Salt Lake-Utah'?



Even that was kinda silly but acceptable. This sucks.

[Rileybo]

Is there any previous precedent of the games not being named after the hosting city? It’s just so stupid.

[Construction Daily]

Originally Posted by delts145

Salt Lake City has a clearer vision for historic Japantown as part of downtown changes

By Carter Williams, KSL.com | Posted - Nov. 18, 2025 at 9:05 p.m. - https://www.ksl.com/article/51407199/sal...ic-japantown-as-part-of-downtown-changes

What remains of Japantown, next to the Salt Palace Convention Center, in Salt Lake City on July 31, 2024. Salt Lake City leaders said Tuesday they might be able to fully fund a major overhaul of the street by the next fiscal year budget...

Cool to see Salt Lake City finally giving Japantown some attention. Hope the plan actually brings life back to the area.

[TheGeographer]

The Winter Olympics events are in Park City, Snow Basin, Kearns,, and the ceremony is in Salt Lake City Eccles stadium. Yes, previous Olympics are all named after the “host” city. For example Vancouver instead of Whistler. The bigger question is who pays for everything. Is Salt Lake City paying for most of the Olympic “bill”? If they are by all means Salt Lake should get all the roses. Otherwise if the state of Utah is paying for half the bill or more then I see no issue throwing Utah a bone. A quick search online indicates the state of Utah will be paying for any financial shortfalls, with remaining funding coming from private, commercial and other sources. Can someone confirm this? It’s an AI answer so not sure if it’s hallucinating or if that answer is correct.

I’ve been in Utah for a little over 10 years now so I don’t have much skin in the game in arguing this point compared to others who have lived here their whole life. I will say I have come to appreciate all the nature Utah has to offer and have some pride now saying that I live in Utah, even if there are many human elements of Utah that drive me bonkers and I disagree with. So I don’t mind breaking tradition and calling the games something like the “Salt Lake City Utah Winter Olympic Games”. Or dare I even say the more geographically and financially appropriate name, “The Utah Winter Olympic Games”. Convince me otherwise other than it’s “tradition” to name it after the host city where there are few to no events and only the ceremony.

[RC14]

I believe the games are considered to be awarded to a host nation and usually that nation helps pay for them. We are receiving federal and state money for the games because the state and federal government see the benefit of the games, but we are not calling them the 2034 United States Olympics. Even centralized nations like China do not see the need to undermine their cities when hosting the games.

The state is arguing that calling the games after Utah better represents everyone involved. My argument, among other things, is that calling the games after Utah instead of Salt Lake City, risks diminishing the city's global identity and that a globally recognized city strengthens the state's overall, economic identity.

For example, would you rather move your Fortune 500 company to nowhere, Mississippi or San Francisco? Cities are the economic engines of states and I think the state of Utah is shooting itself in the foot by constantly trying to undermine it's primer city.

[Cirrus]

GAME: Steal 1 building from another city and put it in yours (Mountain West edition)

This is proving to be a fun forum-wide game in the City Discussions forum, but I think it would be nice to have a Mountain West specific edition.

What's a building that you'd move from some outside city into a Mountain West city? Click the link at the top to go to the thread and answer! Don't answer here.

[Comrade]

Originally Posted by TheGeographer

The Winter Olympics events are in Park City, Snow Basin, Kearns,, and the ceremony is in Salt Lake City Eccles stadium. Yes, previous Olympics are all named after the “host” city. For example Vancouver instead of Whistler. The bigger question is who pays for everything. Is Salt Lake City paying for most of the Olympic “bill”? If they are by all means Salt Lake should get all the roses. Otherwise if the state of Utah is paying for half the bill or more then I see no issue throwing Utah a bone. A quick search online indicates the state of Utah will be paying for any financial shortfalls, with remaining funding coming from private, commercial and other sources. Can someone confirm this? It’s an AI answer so not sure if it’s hallucinating or if that answer is correct.

I’ve been in Utah for a little over 10 years now so I don’t have much skin in the game in arguing this point compared to others who have lived here their whole life. I will say I have come to appreciate all the nature Utah has to offer and have some pride now saying that I live in Utah, even if there are many human elements of Utah that drive me bonkers and I disagree with. So I don’t mind breaking tradition and calling the games something like the “Salt Lake City Utah Winter Olympic Games”. Or dare I even say the more geographically and financially appropriate name, “The Utah Winter Olympic Games”. Convince me otherwise other than it’s “tradition” to name it after the host city where there are few to no events and only the ceremony.

I'm not going to try to convince you lmao acting like it's our job to persuade you is wild. I've yet to hear a reasonable explanation why they're changing the names except that they want to be inclusive to the whole state. That's such bullshit because no one had any issue calling it the Salt Lake Games in 2002. And why does it have to be inclusive to the whole state? What does St. George have to do with the Winter Olympics? It's plain as day why the legislature is pushing the name and it's because they want to deemphasize literally everything about Salt Lake.

It's why they wrote it into the stadium-supporting bills that the team name for the new hockey franchise had to be called "UTAH" and not "Salt Lake" and it's the same with the potential MLB team name too - despite the fact that no one in Provo is paying for any of it and a bulk of the tax dollars coming from within the city.

It's just pure pettiness on their part. If this was a one-off, I'd agree that it could be dismissed but it's clearly not and wasn't an issue in 2002, so, why an issue now?

[RC14]

Are any of the Olympic events going to take place outside the Salt Lake CSA?
Having events in Salt Lake City suburbs doesn't mean the entire state is hosting the games. I doubt that there have been many Olympics where every event took place within the political boundaries of the host city.

[Paniolo Man]

Pictures taken between last Friday and this morning.

Pickle and Hide:



Citizen's West:





West High School:



Journeyman Apartments (construction also seemingly underway on the adjoining corner lot):



~467 West 700 S (lot recently graded):



~433 West 400 N:



The Silos:



554 S 400 W (Not sure if this is part of Silos or not):



Modera Marmalade:



Rocky Mountain Power lot (4883 W 500 S):





Stadler expansion:

[mstar]

Thanks Paniolo Man! I always appreciate your pictures. Does anyone know what is going up on the adjoining corner lot by the Journeyman apartments?

[delts145]

Great Update Paniolo Man! Same question about adjoining lot on the corner of the Journeyman?

[mattreedah]

Originally Posted by Comrade

It's why they wrote it into the stadium-supporting bills that the team name for the new hockey franchise had to be called "UTAH" and not "Salt Lake" and it's the same with the potential MLB team name too - despite the fact that no one in Provo is paying for any of it and a bulk of the tax dollars coming from within the city.

The hockey franchise did NOT have to be called utah. that's on SEG. the mlb team does, however, given the state subsidy for the stadium. I do think the state government wants to emphasize Utah as a brand, which they really have neglected for so long to their detriment. This was one of the reasons I was angry that they didn't throw insane gobs of public money at Sundance to keep them -- the branding was worth its weight in gold. I think THIS is generally a good thing AND yes, this is a little at the expense of its capital city. I love slc, but it needs allies and it regularly does things to antagonize the state legislature needlessly. Some things may be worth a fight (transit, zoning) many are not (port, prison) and some are pure ridiculous antagonization (city flags, fighting the new shelter). Mendenhall is generally wasting goodwill.

[rockies]

This ruins the olympics for me idc

[Boz]

The logo is ugly. The name makes sense. This state is anything but just SLC. We've got a lot going on and it ain't all in Downtown.

Y'all exhibit tiny penis complex on every issue. It's a guarantee.

[Comrade]

Originally Posted by Boz

The logo is ugly. The name makes sense. This state is anything but just SLC. We've got a lot going on and it ain't all in Downtown.

Y'all exhibit tiny penis complex on every issue. It's a guarantee.

Feels like it's the other way around? In no major Olympic market would this fly and yet that's exactly what is happening here. Pretty much all the Olympic events are taking place in the Salt Lake metro area - not down in St. George or Moab or out in Juab County. It's NOT Utah's games. It's Salt Lake's games. But because the state has an inferiority complex related to the city, they have to go out of their way to deemphasize the city at every chance they get. That screams complex - and it is. Utah as a whole has a SLC complex. It's quite clear with how they're going out of their way to change the name of the games despite the 2002 Olympics branding being far more established and successful as the Salt Lake Winter Olympics.

[Comrade]

Originally Posted by mattreedah

The hockey franchise did NOT have to be called utah. that's on SEG. the mlb team does, however, given the state subsidy for the stadium. I do think the state government wants to emphasize Utah as a brand, which they really have neglected for so long to their detriment. This was one of the reasons I was angry that they didn't throw insane gobs of public money at Sundance to keep them -- the branding was worth its weight in gold. I think THIS is generally a good thing AND yes, this is a little at the expense of its capital city. I love slc, but it needs allies and it regularly does things to antagonize the state legislature needlessly. Some things may be worth a fight (transit, zoning) many are not (port, prison) and some are pure ridiculous antagonization (city flags, fighting the new shelter). Mendenhall is generally wasting goodwill.

Yeah, see I think that's the problem. Utah has an identity. Salt Lake really doesn't. Salt Lake has been unable to establish its own identity because everything is expanded to include the state - everything.

The major sports teams? Outside Real Salt Lake and the Bees, who ironically don't even play in Salt Lake anymore, they're Utah named. The MLB team is going to almost certainly be named Utah.

The local media? It's all Utah-based. It's not Salt Lake-focused. It's Utah-focused. Even the local news stations are Utah focused. KSL? Utah's source for news. KUTV? Utah's News Team. KTVX? 4 Utah. FOX 13 News Utah.

I know that sounds petty on my part to split these hairs but it's insane how state-focused everything is in Utah, even if it's coming from Salt Lake.

Utah's transit? UTA: Utah Transit Authority.

Go to any other city and they're aligned with their metro.

UTA isn't in St. George or Logan. It's an entirely regional-focused transit system and yet it's UTAH Transit Authority. Why not Wasatch Transit Authority?

I don't know. Salt Lake just doesn't have a brand and it's because every national event is Utah coded - and now the Olympics are too. So, I can absolutely see why Mendenhall is frustrated that her city is once again getting pushed out for a broader Utah brand, which seemingly happens all the time.

Like I said before, it surprises me the legislature didn't push to rename the new airport Utah International Airport.

As a resident, it's annoying. I'd love to build up Salt Lake's brand and yet it consistently takes a backseat to the state.

[Boz]

Originally Posted by Comrade

Feels like it's the other way around? In no major Olympic market would this fly and yet that's exactly what is happening here. Pretty much all the Olympic events are taking place in the Salt Lake metro area - not down in St. George or Moab or out in Juab County. It's NOT Utah's games. It's Salt Lake's games. But because the state has an inferiority complex related to the city, they have to go out of their way to deemphasize the city at every chance they get. That screams complex - and it is. Utah as a whole has a SLC complex. It's quite clear with how they're going out of their way to change the name of the games despite the 2002 Olympics branding being far more established and successful as the Salt Lake Winter Olympics.

Oh, so Salt Lake is major, now? News to me.

To be like those of you who absolutely hate Utah, no doubt because it's a conservative state, but you bend over for anything "SLC" must be a miserable existence. It is people like you that have a complex over this issue. It is not the rest of the state.

To say these games aren't Utah's games is foolish. Or, clownish, perhaps.

[RC14]

Originally Posted by Boz

Oh, so Salt Lake is major, now? News to me.

We are the largest U.S. city to ever host the winter Olympics and we were the largest city in the world at the time of the 2002 games. All the events will be in the Salt Lake City area.

These games will be more geographically consolidated then allot of recent Olympic games.

The only reason our state government is pushing for the name "Utah" is because Salt Lake tends to vote Democrat.

[RC14]

Originally Posted by mattreedah

The hockey franchise did NOT have to be called utah. that's on SEG. the mlb team does, however, given the state subsidy for the stadium. I do think the state government wants to emphasize Utah as a brand, which they really have neglected for so long to their detriment. This was one of the reasons I was angry that they didn't throw insane gobs of public money at Sundance to keep them -- the branding was worth its weight in gold. I think THIS is generally a good thing AND yes, this is a little at the expense of its capital city. I love slc, but it needs allies and it regularly does things to antagonize the state legislature needlessly. Some things may be worth a fight (transit, zoning) many are not (port, prison) and some are pure ridiculous antagonization (city flags, fighting the new shelter). Mendenhall is generally wasting goodwill.

I didn't expect much from Mendenhall but I've been pretty happy with her as mayor. I don’t think she is picking fights with the state the way past mayors have. I get the impression she has gone out of her way to work with people and get things done.

I agree that the city flag fight was pointless and stupid but I disagree about the shelter. I think that will be a disaster.

Overall, I appreciate that the state is trying to emphasize Utah's brand but I think doing so at the expense of our premier city is a huge mistake. I think esthetics matter. They have real world impact.

The state is pitching the 'Utah' branding as 'we're all in this together.' But, my concern is that, to outsiders, it could come across as 'Salt Lake needs help and can't do this on their own.' Which may be true, but no more so than for any other olympic host city.

[Makid]

Originally Posted by RC14

The state is pitching the 'Utah' branding as 'we're all in this together.' But, my concern is that, to outsiders, it could come across as 'Salt Lake needs help and can't do this on their own.' Which may be true, but no more so than for any other olympic host city.

I think it is the areas that relate to this that is causing consternation for people.

If you were thinking of relocating or expanding a business to Salt Lake City before the Olympics, would you be more cautious about that decision? I know that I would want to know why Salt Lake City is being erased as the host city. This is the type of concern that could stop some expansions or relocations because it comes across that Salt Lake City isn't as strong today as they were even 1 year ago.

As for those that don't understand or see any concern with what the State has done regarding the Olympic rebrand, you just need to look to the near recent history between the State and Salt Lake City:

Salt Lake City was supposed to be at the limit for homeless shelters because the State wanted to ensure other cities stepped up for the homeless, well now we will get a large homeless campus. This is before Utah County has its first homeless shelter.

Salt Lake City was working on an Inland Port idea and was ready to start finalizing agreements for a few company expansions to the area. The State decided that the project was too big for Salt Lake to handle, so they created the Inland Port Authority, sequestered nearly 40% of the land area of Salt Lake City and put it under the purview of the Authority. Originally, the State was also going to take the Airport as part of the Inland Port but thought better of it due to the branding and agreements that the city already had in place with the Airport. It took over a year of negotiations just to get to what we have now for the Inland Port.

Going back only slightly before this, we have the State placing the Prison within the City Boundaries.

Going back further we have the Real Stadium situation.

I would say that for the most part, Salt Lake City is doing well. I know it would be doing better if it wasn't for the interference/strong arm of the State.

The best thing that Salt Lake City can do is to keep growing. The city needs to keep encouraging growth and density. Keep the push on transit expansion within the city to make it desirable for more people. Work with developers to get more 3 and 4 bedroom units built to encourage more families to move or stay in the city.

Growth will be the best way that the city can exert any influence. If Salt Lake City can keep growing as quickly as it has the last few years, percentage wise, the city will end up with more representation at the state and national levels. This will even help at the County level.

Growth is 1 area that the State cannot put its thumb on the scale to slow Salt Lake City down. The State knows that it needs more housing to get prices down and for the most part, most of the housing is being built in Salt Lake City. A note here, Salt Lake City has more units planned for the next 5-7 years than the rest of Salt Lake County and Davis County combined.

All of this aside, I should mention that the LDS Church has pushed and will push for more recognition of Salt Lake City. They want the city to succeed and will do things either behind closed doors or in public to ensure the success of the city as we have seen before.