The historic Salt Lake Plaza Hotel, an early 1970s fixture in downtown Salt Lake City, is slated for closure and subsequent demolition later this year, as confirmed by The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints on Tuesday. According to KSL.com, the reason behind the shuttering stems from the escalating costs associated with the hotel’s maintenance, operation, and necessary updates. The church has indicated that after the building's removal, the site will temporarily serve as additional parking for the Salt Lake Temple open house, which is scheduled for April 2027.
Once the Salt Lake Plaza Hotel is fully demolished, the site's immediate future will transition into a parking facility to support the high volume of visitors expected at the temple open house. However, the church has yet to decide, and therefore announce, the long-term fate of the tract following this period. In the interim, ABC4 reports that the demolition plan involves deconstructing the hotel and its attached parking structure in a methodical floor-by-floor approach, which will permit the salvaging of recyclable materials in a responsible manner.
Moreover, the employees facing job displacement due to the hotel's impending closure have been assured financial and job-search assistance from the church. While the comprehensive timeline regarding the demolition process and the parking area's development remains unspecified, the church's commitment to its displaced workforce has been emphasized. "Hotel employees will be provided with financial and job-search support," officials stated, as per KUTV.
