This article describes a convention center in Utah. For the demolished arena of the same name see Salt Palace (arena).
The Calvin L. Rampton Salt Palace Convention Center, more commonly known as the Salt Palace, is a convention center in the western United States, in Salt Lake City, Utah. Named after Utah's 11th governor, Calvin L. Rampton, the name "Salt Palace" was previously used by two other venues in the city.
First Salt Palace (1899â€"1910)
The original Salt Palace was built in 1899 under the direction of Richard K.A. Kletting, architect, and owned by John Franklin Heath. It stood on 900 South, between State Street and Main Street in Salt Lake City. The original Salt Palace contained a dance hall, theater, and bicycle racing track. It was destroyed by fire on August 29, 1910, and was replaced by the Majestic Hall.
Second Salt Palace (arena) (1969â€"1994)
Current Salt Palace (Calvin L. Rampton Salt Palace Convention Center) (1995â€"present)
Built on the site of the demolished arena, the current convention center boasts 515,000 square feet (47,800Â m2) of exhibit space, 164,000 square feet (15,200Â m2) of meeting space including a 45,000-square-foot (4,200Â m2) grand ballroom, and 66 meeting rooms. The Salt Palace served as the Olympic Media Center during the 2002 Winter Olympics.
In honor of the "founding father" of Salt Lake's convention and tourism business, as well as Utah's proactive economic development efforts, the Salt Lake County Council voted to officially change the name of the Salt Palace Convention Center to the Calvin L. Rampton Salt Palace Convention Center in the fall of 2007.
Salt Lake Comic Con, the biannual comic book convention, has been held at the Salt Palace Convention Center since September 2013.
A Republican presidential debate hosted by Fox News was scheduled to take place at the Salt Palace Convention Center on March 21, 2016. The event was cancelled after front-runner Donald Trump said he would not participate and fellow candidate John Kasich said he would not participate without Trump.
Architecture
The trusses that support the roof were designed by roller-coaster designer Kent Seko. Many of the convention center's most striking visual features were achieved through the use of Hollow Structural Steel (HSS) in exposed applications by its architects, Atlanta-based Thompson, Ventulett, Stainback & Associates working with a local firm, Gillies Stransky Brems Smith Architects.
Solar panels
On May 24, 2012, a 1.65 MW solar array was completed on the roof. Covering an area of 3.85 acres (15,600Â m2), at the time it was the largest solar array in Utah. It is expected to provide 17% of the electricity used by the Salt Palace.
References
External links
- Official website
- Utah State Historical Society
