Salt Lake City International Airport celebrated the completion of The New SLC Redevelopment Program over two days. The event included a ribbon cutting and the premiere of an airport-themed musical composition.
The celebration, titled Gateway to the World, took place on Saturday, October 24. The program featured the premiere of Lux Altior, or Higher Light, a musical theme by Utah-based composer Kurt Bestor. Approximately 500 guests and employees attended the event, which included performances by 37 singers, including students from Salt Lake's Madeleine Choir School, and 21 musicians.
A suspended art installation titled Crossroads to the World, was unveiled Saturday night. The piece features about 2,500 colorful, laser-cut acrylic airplanes and was designed by artist Gordon Huether. Huether was commissioned early in the program to create several major, structurally integrated art pieces intended to enhance the passenger experience.
Airport Executive Director Bill Wyatt stated that the airport stands due to the dedication of hundreds of workers, ranging from architects and accountants to planners and pavers. The redevelopment program employed nearly 25,000 craft workers who worked more than 18 million craft hours. Speakers during the program included Salt Lake City Mayor Erin Mendenhall, Delta Air Lines State and Local Government Affairs Director Sara Gonzales, artist Gordon Huether, and composer Kurt Bestor.
The New SLC redevelopment program broke ground in July 2014 to replace three aging terminals with a state-of-the-art facility featuring a central terminal and two linear concourses. Phase 1 opened in September 2020, Phase 2 in October 2023, and Phase 3 in October 2024. While four additional gates opened in July 2026, the remaining seven gates and six concessions are scheduled to open on October 27, 2026. The completed project will feature a total of 101 concessions and 94 aircraft gates.
The final addition includes a 132,000-square-foot expansion in Concourse B-east. This area contains seven new gates, five of which will be occupied by United Airlines and two of which will be common-use gates. The new concessions include local and national brands such as Einstein Bros. Bagels, Monarca, Moochies Meatballs, Mr. Charlies Chicken Fingers, Swig, and Go SLC.
