Abravanel Hall will remain where it is and get the upgrades it needs, Salt Lake County Council members promised Tuesday afternoon.
In a resolution approved by a unanimous vote, council members committed to carefully updating the concert hall to preserve its architectural and acoustic design — an effort to put to rest fears about the venue’s future as a swath of downtown is transformed into a sports and entertainment district.
“What this resolution does is send the message that there’s certain things we’re not going to do,” council member Jim Bradley said. “But there’s certain things that do have to be done, and we have to entertain the entertainment district somehow.”
The storied concert hall has served as the home of the Utah Symphony since 1979, and has hosted legendary musicians, like composer John Williams, over the past 45 years. As Jazz owner Ryan Smith began pursuing his downtown district, uncertainty about Abravanel Hall’s future sparked a flurry of opposition to its potential demolition.
Just after Tuesday’s vote, a string quartet from the Utah Symphony performed a passionate rendition of Beethoven’s String Quartet No. 2 in the council chambers.
After the quartet’s performance, council Chair Laurie Stringham took on the role of conductor, leading the musicians in a short portion of the song — something she said she’d always wanted to do after a few years teaching music herself.
Last month, county Mayor Jenny Wilson said she was committed to preserving the hall, but noted that the venue requires more $200 million to upgrade failing heating systems and to keep the facility accessible to those of all abilities.
“This opportunity that’s presented today, I believe, has captured the public’s imagination for the preservation of the hall, and that means we — with hopefully the state’s help and other partners — can come up with that bill,” Wilson told a committee of state lawmakers on Sept. 17. “We care about the vitality of the orchestra itself, not just the building. I mean, the point is to be able to enjoy arts, culture, and our primary tenant in Abravanel Hall is the symphony. We want it to thrive for decades to come.”
Last week, the Salt Lake City Council approved the sports district and a half-a-percentage-point sales tax increase that will funnel $900 million into the project. Abravanel Hall is a county-owned facility and its future falls outside the scope of the City Council’s decision.
The County Council’s vote on Tuesday was purely symbolic. Details about Abravanel Hall’s preservation must be determined and voted on separately in the future, a county spokesperson said.
