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Downtown Alliance reports steady visitor numbers, event growth and expanded ambassador services
Summary
Downtown Alliance told council it recorded about 20.7 million "customer days" in the prior year, growth in several major events and nearly 1 million social media engagements; staff outlined ambassador outreach, farmers market economic impact and plans to monitor office worker return and infrastructure needs ahead of the 2034 Olympics.
The Downtown Alliance presented its annual informational update to the Salt Lake City Council, reporting stable downtown visitation, growth in major public events and expanded hospitality and outreach services.
Dee Brewer, executive director of the Downtown Alliance, said the group measured about 20.7 million "customer days" last year, a 3.5% increase over 2023. Brewer credited shopping, conventions, events at Delta Center, and Salt Palace activity for the highest visitation days.
The alliance said worker volumes remain below pre‑pandemic levels — about 62% of the 2019 worker volume downtown — and that growth in workplace attendance has flattened following several years of double‑digit recovery. Brewer said the organization is developing priorities and a budget for fiscal year 2025–26 and highlighted recent programming including "Last Hurrah" at the Gateway (24,000 attendees, a 22% increase), Glow at Gallivan (about 200,000 visitors in the 2023–24 season) and the weekly farmers market.
Jessica Theesing, deputy director, gave an overview of the alliance's revenue: roughly $5.4 million in total revenue, primarily contract revenue and assessments paid by commercial property owners in the Central Business Improvement Area. Perkins of program highlights, the alliance said the farmers market generated about $11 million in direct sales for vendors and said 65% of vendors are women‑owned and 25% are BIPOC‑owned.
The alliance asked the city to evaluate downtown electrical infrastructure, tree wells and sidewalks as part of winter and Olympic activations leading up to the 2034 Winter Olympics. Brewer and Theesing said the organization will continue to convene downtown property owners, the merchants association and cultural partners and to monitor issues including the entertainment district, office workplace trends and competition from new suburban mixed‑use developments.
Ending: Council members thanked the Downtown Alliance for the briefing and asked about expansion of the service area (the alliance said expansions must be led by property owners) and coordination with city economic development staff. No formal action or vote was taken at the meeting.
