Salt Lake City, UT

Key Highlights

Hotels	130
Total Sleeping Rooms	17,135
Committable Sleeping Rooms*	850
Committable Meeting Rooms*	67
Largest Exhibit Space	515,000 Sq. Ft.
Largest Ballroom	45,000 Sq. Ft.
Average Hotel Room Rate	USD $96
Average Daily Meal Cost	USD $61
Average Weekly Car Rental	USD $240
*Maximum for a single hotel

Contact a Destination Expert

Salt Lake City, UT Meeting Planning Overview

Welcome to our Salt Lake City meeting planning guide – a Salt Lake City guide for meeting planners. Having been host to the 2002 Winter Olympic Games, Salt Lake City is no stranger to accommodating meetings and events, a fact that shows in its ample meeting venues, accommodations and amenities. Salt Palace, Salt Lake City's main convention center, is a modern and attractive venue that underwent a major expansion in 2006, increasing its size by more than 40 percent. Now over 515,000 square feet, it is one of West's most sizeable convention centers and should be considered for large-scale meeting planning in Salt Lake City. Conveniently located downtown, the center is within walking distance of nearly 7,200 hotel rooms and 100 restaurants. The South Towne Exhibition Center also offers sizable space in the center of Salt Lake's residential community, with over 243,000 square feet of exhibit halls and 15,000 square feet of meeting rooms.

In preparation for the 2002 Olympics, the city underwent major construction and renovation projects that are still enjoyed by visitors today. Several local highways were expanded and repaired, and a new light rail system called TRAX was completed for additional quick, efficient means of transportation around the city and to surrounding areas. The city continues to be recognized as a prime meeting location, serving as host to both the Deaf Olympic Games and Rotary International annual convention in 2007.

Salt Lake City's new, modern amenities are complemented by renowned recreational and outdoor activities. Incorporate some leisure into your Salt Lake City meeting planning and let guests easily enjoy fine dining and culture in downtown's Martine restaurant and the Utah Museum of Fine Arts one day, then hike or ski at the Solitude Mountain Resort the next. Salt Lake City provides an easy environment to both work and play.

Salt Lake City is home to major corporations Merrill Lynch, Morgan Stanley, GMAC Automotive Bank and Smith's Food and Drug. The United Potato Growers of America also relocated its headquarters to the city from Idaho in 2006.

About Salt Lake City, UT / Additional Info

With over one million residents in the greater metro area, Salt Lake City is Utah's largest and most populous city, and, not surprisingly, one of the most popular tourist destinations in the state. Nestled between the Wasatch and Oquirrh mountain ranges, the city achieves a rare blend of outdoor solace and urban comfort. Blessed with low humidity and abundant sunshine, this city is a perfect place to visit no matter what the season. Wildflowers in a rainbow of colors carpet the Salt Lake Valley in the spring, and in autumn the trees are ablaze in colors of red, orange and yellow. Winter brings cold, but not frigid, temperatures, and copious amounts of snow blanket the mountains, luring winter sports enthusiasts from around the globe to the slopes.

Founded as a Mormon settlement by Brigham Young and pioneers in 1947, the city is now the Mormon headquarters and features numerous attractions related to the Church of Latter-Day Saints. In fact, Temple Square, a 10-acre section of downtown, is the most popular attraction in Utah with nearly five million visitors annually. The Family History Library and Museum of Church History and Art are among nearly a dozen Church-related sites in the square. Temple Square's centerpiece is the Salt Lake Temple, established by Young in 1893 and now the largest temple of the Church.

Despite frequent association of its name with the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, Salt Lake City's attractions extend much further. Browse over 17,000 works of art, from ancient to contemporary, at the Utah Museum of Fine Arts. Explore the stately Utah Governor's Mansion, a sprawling, Victorian-style estate built by silver baron Thomas Kearns. Escape the urban hustle and bustle with camping, kayaking or hiking at the city's namesake Great Salt Lake.

At a city that has trademarked the phrase "The Greatest Snow on Earth," skiing is undoubtedly one of the top activities for Salt Lake City visitors. Four world-class ski resorts are only minutes from the airport, and 10 are fewer than 45 minutes away. Alta Ski Area has been ranked as number 1 in the nation by SKIING Magazine for five years in a row, while Solitude Mountain Resort sees over 500 inches of snowfall annually - plenty for enjoying one of its 64 runs and three bowls ranging in skill level from beginner to expert. Plus, with several resorts open year-round and featuring luxurious spas and up-scale dining options, these Salt Lake City destinations entice both skiers and non-skiers year round.

Salt Lake City, UT Key Stats for Meeting Planners

Time Zone: Mountain Time (MT)
Convention Center(s):

Hotel at Convention Center? No
Sleeping Rooms 1 Mile from Convention Center: 6,975

Airport(s):

Salt Lake City International Airport

Destination Type(s):

Golf Destination
Mountain / Skiing Destination
Smoke-free Restaurants

Special Event Venues
99
Population
1,124,197
Restaurants
133
Country Code
1
Currency
U.S. Dollar
Standard Tipping Practice
10-20%
Electricity
120V / 60Hz
Official Languages
English

Credit Cards and Travelers Cheques widely accepted? Yes

All average costs based on U.S. Government Per Diem rates as published by the U.S. General Services Administration.

Cities Near Salt Lake City, UT

	Distance	Estimated Driving Time	Estimated Min. Flying Time	Estimated Flight Cost
Park City, UT	30 mi	44 min	N/A	N/A
Provo, UT	45 mi	51 min	N/A	N/A
Grand Junction, CO	283 mi	4 hr 48 min	1 hr 4 min	USD $440+
Las Vegas, NV	423 mi	5+ hrs	1 hr 25 min	USD $179+
Denver, CO	532 mi	5+ hrs	1 hr 26 min	USD $210+

Salt Lake City, UT Climate Information

	Jan	Feb	Mar	Apr	May	Jun	Jul	Aug	Sep	Oct	Nov	Dec
Avg. High (°F)	37	43	52	62	72	83	92	90	80	66	50	39
Avg. Low (°F)	20	24	31	38	46	54	62	61	51	40	30	22
Rec. High (°F)	62	69	78	86	93	104	107	106	100	89	75	69
Rec. Low (°F)	-22	-14	2	15	25	35	40	37	27	16	-14	-15
Rainfall (in)	1.3	1.2	1.8	2.0	1.8	0.9	0.7	0.8	1.1	1.3	1.3	1.3

Salt Lake is situated in a valley at the base of the Rocky Mountains. The generally mild, desert-like climate provides over 300 days of sunshine, and less than 17 inches of precipitation every year. The city enjoys four distinct seasons. July is the warmest month, with an average high temperature of 91 degrees F. In January, the coldest month, high temperatures average 37 degree F. The lack of humidity throughout the year helps summers feel cooler, and winters feel warmer. While Salt Lake City receives lots of sun, and relatively little precipitation, the nearby mountains have their own climate. The highest elevation resorts; Alta, Snowbird, Brighton and Solitude receive an average of 40 feet of snowfall in the winter months. It’s common to ski in the morning, and golf in the Salt Lake Valley in the afternoon.

Meeting Planning in Salt Lake City, UT

Salt Palace Convention Center

Located in central downtown, the Salt Palace Convention Center is a work of stunning architecture, with supporting trusses, designed by Kent Seko, a world-renowned roller coaster designer. Amongst many other beautiful architectural elements, the building also includes a 570-foot-long glass-wall viewing area that overlooks the exhibit space. Intricate snowflake chandeliers and custom cottonwood-patterned carpet infuse a subtle Salt Lake City flavor to the building.

Not only pleasing to the eye, the center was also designed with an eye toward practicality. More than half a million feet of exhibit space is available for use by meeting and convention planners looking to coordinate memorable and effective events. The center boasts 160,000 square feet of meeting space, including a 45,000-square-foot ballroom and 66 well-appointed meeting rooms.

The Salt Palace Convention Center offers outstanding Salt Lake City meeting facilities. The Salt Palace's preferred audio-visual provider offers video production, lighting services and sound reinforcement, among other services. Fiber-optic cables run through the building's core in order to ensure high-speed Internet access at any point in the building. In fact, the center was one of the first in the country to make wireless networking available to its meetings guests. The on-site business center provides copy, print, fax and package services, while in-house catering service Utah Food Service offers customized menus tailored to any specifications. Other amenities include a 600-space, three-level parking garage with elevator access to the center's main concourse.

View Profile Request Quote

Other Convention Centers in Salt Lake City, UT

Name	Address	Total Meeting Space
South Towne Exposition Center	9575 South State Street Sandy, Utah 84070	> 100,000 Sq. Ft.

Salt Lake City, UT Airport Information

Salt Lake City International Airport (SLC)

Approximate taxi fare: $22 USD

Salt Lake City International Airport is one of the West's busiest hubs, offering over 800 flights every day via 16 major airlines, including Delta Airlines, which flies to Salt Lake City non-stop from more than 100 cities. As the 17th largest connecting hub airport and 22nd busiest in the nation, Salt Lake City International had 22 million passengers in 2007. The airport has two terminals, five concourses and 85 gates that offer daily flights to a variety of domestic and international destinations. International service is available for travel to Canada, Mexico and Paris.

Despite the passenger volume at Salt Lake City International, travelers need not worry about long waits. In 2008, the airport was selected to operate Clear lanes, a system by which travelers apply for Clear Cards through an application with the Transportation Security Administration. Once approved, members can use Clear's fast pass lanes at participating airports, which currently include Denver, Indianapolis, LaGuardia and JFK in New York and Reagan and Dulles in Washington DC among others.

Travelers can choose from numerous dining options, from a quick bite at Pizza Hut to a leisurely meal at the Terrace Restaurant and Lounge. The airport also offers an award-winning area of retail stores and a full-service business center for copy, fax, Internet, phone and shipping services. Economy and hourly and daily parking are offered at the airport.

Airline carriers serving Salt Lake City International Airport

American
Continental
Continental Express
Delta
Frontier

JetBlue
Northwest
SkyWest
Southwest

United
United Express
US Airways
US Airways Express

Salt Lake City, UT Train Information

Salt Lake City Station

Amtrak services the downtown Salt Lake City Station with its California Zephyr train, which offers scenic travel between Salt Lake City and Denver. Other stops on the route are Chicago, Reno and San Francisco.

Salt Lake City, UT Public Transportation

Utah Transit Authority (UTA) TRAX and Bus Lines

The Utah Transit Authority (UTA) provides excellent public transportation services to all of Salt Lake City, including the airport and surrounding mountain areas and ski resorts. Vehicle options include buses and TRAX light-rail, the city's above-ground subway. UTA buses run on 62 routes in Salt Lake County alone. TRAX has 16 different stations and services destinations between South Salt Lake Valley and Downtown Salt Lake City on its 15-mile line. UTA fare, which covers transportation on both local buses and TRAX, is $1.75. Fare is $0.85 for seniors and the disabled and free for children under 6. All-day passes, which include unlimited local bus and TRAX rides for the day of purchase, are $4.50. During the winter, ski buses transport visitors to Little Cottonwood Canyon. Ski bus fare is $7.00. Fare for transportation within the "Free Fare Zone" in downtown Salt Lake City is free.

Car Rentals

Car rental facilities are widely available in Salt Lake City. On-site car rental companies at the airport include Alamo, Avis, Budget, Dollar, Enterprise, Hertz and National.

Taxis

Salt Lake City has three main taxi companies with 24-hour service: City Cab, Yellow Cab and Ute Cab. Taxi booths are located outside of baggage claim at door #7 in Terminal 1 and door #11 in Terminal 2 at the airport. The ride from the airport to downtown is about 10 to 15 minutes and costs around $15.

Distance To...

	Distance	Estimated Driving Time	Estimated Min. Flying Time	Estimated Flight Cost
Park City, UT	30 mi	44 min	N/A	N/A
Provo, UT	45 mi	51 min	N/A	N/A
Grand Junction, CO	283 mi	4 hr 48 min	1 hr 4 min	USD $440+
Las Vegas, NV	423 mi	5+ hrs	1 hr 25 min	USD $179+
Denver, CO	532 mi	5+ hrs	1 hr 26 min	USD $210+