Salt Lake County, SEG Name Partners for Major Downtown Overhaul

Industry Perspective from Next Move Strategy Consulting

Salt Lake County and the Smith Entertainment Group (SEG) have announced key development partners for a comprehensive revitalization centered on the Salt Palace Convention Center and a new outdoor entertainment district adjacent to the Delta Center. The selections include construction management and architectural teams that pair local firms with larger, global counterparts to oversee design, construction and cost management for the high-profile downtown effort. 

A Strategic Blend of Local and Global Expertise

Salt Lake County said it selected Construction Control Corporation (CCC) and RLB to handle construction and cost management — with CCC serving as the local representative and RLB acting as the global partner. For architectural design, the county chose MHTN as the local firm and Populous as the global partner. SEG separately selected HKS to lead the master-plan architecture for the Sports, Entertainment, Culture and Convention (SECC) district that will connect the Salt Palace and the Delta Center. 

HKS’s appointment comes with a portfolio of recent stadium and civic projects cited by SEG, including SoFi Stadium in Los Angeles and the Victory Plaza outside American Airlines Arena in Dallas; locally, HKS was the firm behind the recently opened Astra Tower downtown. 

“Collaborative Expertise” And Placemaking at The Center

County officials framed the partnerships as evidence of the value in pairing local knowledge with national and international experience. Salt Lake County Mayor Jenny Wilson emphasized that the selections bring “some of the best talent in the industry” and that the initiative will improve beloved venues, walkability and connectivity downtown while expanding visitor-economy opportunities. The county also announced the renewal of its property management contract with Legends Global (formerly ASM Global) and noted that the procurement process for a construction contractor remains ongoing. 

Key takeaways at a glance:

• CCC and RLB were chosen for construction and cost management; MHTN and Populous were chosen for architectural design. 

• SEG selected HKS to design the SECC master plan; HKS’s portfolio includes major stadium and civic projects and local high-rise work. 

• Property management will continue with Legends Global; the county’s RFP for a construction contractor is still in progress. 

According to Next Move Strategy Consulting — Impact on the U.S. Construction Market

This downtown program demonstrates a model increasingly visible in U.S. municipal and civic projects: municipal clients pairing local firms with national or global partners to combine local context and stakeholder knowledge with larger-scale technical capacity and design experience. Such pairings, as seen in Salt Lake County’s procurement choices and SEG’s selection of HKS, can concentrate specialized stadium and large-venue expertise while keeping local firms engaged in delivery and placemaking. The county’s emphasis on walkability, connectivity and improved venues also reinforces a development approach that prioritizes mixed-use public benefits alongside construction and design outcomes. Renewing property management with an experienced global operator while the construction contractor RFP continues further illustrates a phased, multi-vendor strategy that can reduce single-point procurement risk and distribute responsibilities across specialized providers. 

Industry outlook and next steps

Project stakeholders and market participants will watch the ongoing contractor procurement and the master-plan development closely. The alignment of local and global partners, coupled with the county’s explicit placemaking goals, sets expectations for a multi-disciplinary effort that integrates design, construction management and operations as the downtown program advances. 

Source: https://buildingsaltlake.com 

Prepared by: Next Move Strategy Consulting