Salt Lake City — The Salt Lake City Department of Airports has unveiled Phase 3 of The New SLC Redevelopment Program, which includes the Central Tunnel, Concourse B Plaza, 12 concessions and, initially, five Delta Air Lines’ gates. In addition, four new art installations are highlighted in Phase 3 that celebrate and recognize Utah’s beauty and natural history.
“With today’s opening of Phase 3 we have reached an extraordinary milestone in The New SLC Redevelopment Program,” said Bill Wyatt, executive director, Salt Lake City Department of Airports. “We have built an airport that is convenient, inspiring, flexible, sustainable and provides our passengers with a first-class experience.”
The Phase 3 journey for passengers begins with the Central Tunnel connecting A and B Concourses in which a large-scale art installation by Artist Gordon Huether titled “The River Tunnel,” is featured. This art installation reflects the rivers that flow through the state’s mountains and canyons. Huether has created a completely immersive experience to create a cohesive, congruous experience for passengers. Click here for The River Tunnel fact sheet.
As part of The River Tunnel art installation, more than 100 songs have been curated by Huether and feature tunes related to travel and/or Utah. Songs such as “Salt Lake City,” by the Beach Boys, “Call of the Champions,” by The Mormon Tabernacle Choir at Temple Square and “In My Own Little Corner of the World,” by Marie Osmond are all featured on the playlist. Click here for the playlist.
As passengers exit The River Tunnel, they enter the Concourse B Plaza where an extension of The Canyon and the Northern Light oculus art installations by Huether continue the airport’s theme to celebrate Utah’s natural beauty. Northern Light weighs 3.1 tons and is fabricated from 500 glass rods and 300 dichroic glass panels. The half-sphere framework is made of stainless steel. Click here for more information about The Canyon 2.0 and Northern Light.
Also located in Concourse B Plaza is The World Map that once graced the floor of Terminal 1 in the original airport. The World Map was created by Dallas stoneworker Julius Bartoli based on drawings by Ashton, Evans & Brazier and installed in Terminal 1 in 1960. Initially, airport engineers did not think it was possible to remove the World Map without damaging the pieces, however, after the further examination determined it was possible. The World Map was dismantled and placed in storage until it was relocated to Concourse B in the summer of 2024.
An installation that highlights Utah’s natural history has been the best-kept secret as part of The New SLC’s Phase 3 opening. “Ally the dinosaur,” has been donated to the airport by the Natural History Museum of Utah (NHMU). The replica fossil skeleton of Allosaurus fragilis—Utah’s state fossil—is the quintessential Late Jurassic carnivorous dinosaur. The giant animal roamed Utah’s landscapes 150 million years ago and is now one of the most popular dinosaurs worldwide. NHMU is Utah’s official state museum of natural history and home to the largest Allosaurus collection in the world.
Passengers will also experience a dozen new concessions as part of Phase 3. The concession operators selected for the 19,260 sq. ft. of space are: Bambuza Hospitality Group, HMSHost, Marshall Retail Group, Paradies Lagardère, SLC Airport Concessions Group and SSP America, which represent the following brands and concepts:
Food and Beverage: Bambuza Vietnam Kitchen; Freddy’s Frozen Custard and Steakburgers; Maggiano’s Little Italy; Sunday’s Best; The Coffee Bean and Tea Leaf; and Thirst.
Retail, News and Gift: Cotopaxi; iStore Express; Relay; Travel Right; The Canyon; and Weller Book Works.
(Cotopaxi, The Canyon, Sunday’s Best, Thirst, Weller Book Works are all local brands.)
Click here for a complete description of Phase 3 concessions.
https://slcairport.com/dining-and-shopping/the-new-slc-restaurants-and-shops/
The New SLC Redevelopment Program broke ground in July 2014. Phase 1 of The New SLC opening in fall 2020, while Phase 2 was completed in fall 2023. Additional gates will open in fall 2025 and the entire project will be finished in 2026 with a total of 94 aircraft gates.
Nancy Volmer, MPC
Director, Communication & Marketing
Desk: 801-575-2768
Cell: 801-209-5774
New Email: nancy.volmer@slc.gov