History
Salt Lake County opened the round arena downtown in July 1969 at a cost of about $17 million. Minor-league hockey's Golden Eagles moved in first.
The ABA Stars arrived from Los Angeles in 1970 and won the league title that season, but folded in December 1975. The Jazz came from New Orleans in 1979 and played there until 1991, when owner Larry H. Miller's privately built Delta Center opened.
The arena saw little use afterward and was demolished in 1994, with its exhibit-hall addition folded into the Salt Palace Convention Center.
Why it matters: It gave Utah its first major-league basketball, including an ABA championship and the Jazz's first Utah seasons.
Timeline
- July 11, 1969
The county-owned arena opened; the Golden Eagles were its first tenant.
- 1971
The Utah Stars won the 1970-71 ABA championship in their first season in Salt Lake.
- December 2, 1975Stars fold[1]
The Stars folded mid-season after missing payroll.
- May 12, 1991Jazz's final game[1]
A playoff loss to Portland was the Jazz's last game before moving to the Delta Center.
- 1994
The arena was razed to expand the convention facilities.
The site today
| Physical status | Site redeveloped[1] |
|---|---|
| Current use | Salt Palace Convention Center |
| Mapped location | Former venue site |
Street View near the former site · Satellite view (external, current imagery)
Teams & events
| Utah Stars | ABA · 1970–1975 |
|---|---|
| Utah Jazz | NBA · 1979–1991 |
| Salt Lake Golden Eagles | WHL/CHL/IHL · 1969–1991 · tenant |
Listed here are organizations that used this physical venue. A franchise's history and a venue's history are tracked separately.
Venue facts
| Location | 100 South West Temple, Salt Lake City, UT, Salt Lake City, Utah[1] |
|---|---|
| Venue type | Arena |
| Sports | Basketball, Hockey |
| Level | NBA, ABA |
| Opened | July 11, 1969[1,2] |
| Last used for sports | 1993[1,2] |
| Demolished | 1994[1] |
| Physical status | Site redeveloped |
| Original capacity | 10,725[1] |
| Final capacity | 12,616[1] |
| Capacity notes | 10,725 at opening; 12,616 to 12,666 for basketball after expansion; 10,594 for hockey. Per Wikipedia. |
| Architect | Bonneville Architects[1] |
| Construction cost | $17 million |
| Owner / operator | Salt Lake County |
| Closure | The Jazz moved to the larger Delta Center in 1991, and the site was used to expand the convention center. |
Documented details
- Three teenagers died in a crowd surge at an AC/DC concert at the arena on January 18, 1991.[1]
Sources
- Salt Palace (arena), Wikipedia. Accessed 2026-10-19Supports: address, architect, capacity, closed, coordinates, demolished, events, opened, teams
- Whatever happened to the Salt Palace?, The Salt Lake Tribune. Accessed 2026-10-19Supports: closed, opened, teams
Research confidence
Some facts on this page rely on a single source or are still being corroborated. Treat specific dates and figures with care. Last reviewed 2026-10-19.
Where sources disagree (2)
- Wikipedia gives a 1993 closing and 1994 demolition; the Salt Lake Tribune says the arena lasted 'from 1969 to 1994'.
- Wikipedia lists basketball capacity as both 12,616 and 12,666.
See something wrong or missing? Suggest a correction or submit a source.