Salt Lake City’s Abravanel Hall was a result of the Bicentennial Commission, chaired by Obert C. Tanner, and built between 1976 and 1979. It first opened in September 1979. At that time, and until 1993, it was named Symphony Hall.
The architect selected for the building was Robert A. Fowler Associated Architects, later named Fowler, Ferguson, Kingston and Ruben (now FFKR). The acoustical engineer was the famed Dr. Cyril M. Harris, who had previously provided the acoustical design work for Avery Fisher Hall, the Kennedy Center, Minnesota’s Orchestra Hall, and the Metropolitan Opera. Construction manager was John Price, of J. Price Construction Co.
O.C. Tanner donated a 12 feet high, long, narrow fountain along the south side of the plaza, which faced the LDS Church Tabernacle, where the Utah Symphony played until the hall was constructed. Boyd Blackner was the fountain architect. Salt Lake County, which owns the property and building, removed the fountain in 2014, due to maintenance expenses.
The lobby is four stories high, has a staircase rising up its many tiers, with a glass curtain wall covering the east side. O. C. Tanner also donated 12,000 square feet of 14-karat gold leafing, brushed on by hand and covering the sides of the stairs and the balconies.
The interior of the hall is acoustically acclaimed by experts. Concertgoers are protected from sounds of the lobby by sound blocking areas and entry doors. There are six brass and crystal chandeliers hanging above the tiers of seating.
Currently, Utah Symphony orchestra members are among the vast number of supporters of Save the Hall!
It would be a tragedy to destroy our Abravanel Hall to accommodate Ryan Smith’s vain wishes to take over the redesign of our Salt Lake City landscape.
It would seem that Smith Entertainment Group wants to change our city, whether the residents of the city/county want that or not!
Our city was shut down for years when TRAX was being constructed, and a now unnecessary Gateway Mall arose. We do not want to see that happen again, and rather than that, why not build an arena for Salt Lake Hockey at The Gateway, rather than in downtown Salt Lake City?
Why should we have our taxes increase to enable SEG to take over our city? Thank you, but no!
Allene Fowler, Salt Lake City
