Quote:
Originally Posted by taboubak
Those I don't have unfortunately, but like I said before expect this to move faster than your average major project because alot of major parties are pushing for this to get done. Another thing I heard that may be interesting to keep an eye on. I know for an SEG source that Smith is now considering downtown practice facilities for both the Jazz and NHL team. A year or so ago a West Quarter rendering leaked with a proposed Jazz practice facility and it was quickly shot down by SEG. This is because they were still strongly considering moving the team to Draper. This is now off the table thanks to multiple players like the mayor, Governor Cox, The Church, and The IOC pushing hard for them to stay downtown and Ryan agreeing. The reason I asked Shmoe if the Ritchie group was again involved in the discussions, is because I am very curious if they will revive those talks and come back with a West Quarter plan that includes both practice facilities. I also know Smith is very interested in luxury urban housing being close to these facilities, so the players can easily walk between their facilty, their homes. and the arena. I don't know all the details, but I can say this is expected to rebuild our downtown in a very major way. From what I've heard, be very excited.
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When those renderings were leaked, it was at the height of talk about Smith going south to the Point of the Mountain. I remember getting excited thinking that possibly it was a premature leak and that this meant the Jazz had signed on to build their practice facility downtown (which would have indicated a level of commitment to the area). But nope.
Still uneasy that Smith was so set on moving everything out of downtown. I get he's a Lehi guy and has zero connection to Salt Lake City (wasn't born here, never lived here, didn't go to school here, never worked here) but I don't think a lot of people understand how important a destination downtown is to the vibrancy of a region overall.
I would wager places like Denver and Austin have taken off like they have because of the investment both cities have put into their downtown. It absolutely bleeds out into the satellite cities. People associate with it and yet, don't necessarily have to exactly live there - just in the region.
It really is a 'rising tide lifts all boats' type of deal.
I think a major reason so many rustbelt cities struggle is because the initial thought of the region is associated with the main area of the urban center.
Losing the Jazz would have really been a gut punch for a downtown that is still trying to find itself. We've made strides the last 20 years but there's still so much more that can be done to make it an actual 24/7 center of activity. I don't think it would have been impossible to do without a major arena in the core but it certainly would hurt it.
After all, in this scenario, Salt Lake is literally the only major/semi-major US city without an actual downtown arena (had the Jazz relocated, the Delta Center would lose out on the Jazz, most its shows and other acts that book through Salt Lake because the new arena would likely be better).
So glad that doesn't seem to be the case now.
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