SALT LAKE CITY (October 21, 2016) — Utah’s capital city adds yet another feather to its cultural arts’ cap today with the grand opening of the 2,500-seat, state-of-the-art George S. and Dolores Doré Eccles Theater in the heart of downtown Salt Lake.
The Eccles Theater features a beautiful six-story grand lobby with retractable glass walls along Main Street, where public art and events will be featured. Inside the theater is the 2,500-seat Delta Performance Hall, designed for acoustic excellence and uniquely features lighting that suggests a starlit Utah canyon. A separate 150-seat, multi-use Black Box theater is part of the complex and will feature local performances and community events. The Encore Bistro, operated by Salt Lake’s own Cuisine Unlimited, will be open for breakfast and lunch daily, and offer dinner on performance nights with a menu customized to match the current show.
“The Eccles Theater is a beautiful and welcomed addition to our thriving downtown cultural district,” said Scott Beck, President & CEO of Visit Salt Lake. “In addition to it being a beautiful building, its expected LEED certification shows a continuation of our destination’s commitment to sustainability.”
The Eccles Theater—a performing arts center designed by Pelli-Clarke-Pelli and HKS Architects, and developed and built by Layton Construction—complements Salt Lake’s vast array of existing cultural arts venues, including The Jessie Eccles Quinney Ballet Centre, home to Ballet West; Abravanel Hall, home to the Utah Symphony; The Janet Quinney Lawson Capitol Theatre, which hosts the Utah Opera; and the Rose Wagner Performing Arts Center. During its inaugural 2016-17 season, the Eccles Theater will host Tony-award-winning productions such as Beautiful, Kinky Boots, Matilda, The Lion King and The Book of Mormon, while Hamilton will make its Utah debut at the Eccles Theater in the 2017-18 season. In addition to these national touring Broadway productions, the Eccles Theater will host concerts, comedy and other popular entertainment events.
The three-day grand opening celebration, running from October 21st through the 23rd, is showcasing both national headliners and Utah’s rich arts and entertainment community. Performances include Tony Award-winning performer Brian Stokes Mitchell and Smash television actress and Tony-nominated Broadway performer Megan Hilty, as well as Ballet West, the Utah Opera Chorus, Repertory Dance Theatre and Ririe-Woodbury Dance Company. Music and the Spoken Word from the Mormon Tabernacle Choir & Orchestra at Temple Square will broadcast from the theater on Sunday, October 23, at 9:00 a.m.
Visit Salt Lake is a private, non-profit corporation responsible for the promotion of Salt Lake as a vibrant, modern destination brimming with unexpected dining, lodging, nightlife and entertainment options, a destination well suited for convention and leisure travel alike. In partnership with Salt Lake County, Visit Salt Lake’s mission is to improve the area economy by attracting and providing support to conventions, leisure travelers and visitors while being a leader in environmental responsibility.