Photo Credit
Preservation Utah Staff
County
Salt Lake
Year Built
1969
Architect
Robert A. Fowler Associated Architects
National Register?
No
Status
Endangered: Monitoring
Status Explanation
The risk of demolition and moving the Huntsman Center has lessened, but the building's long-term character remains uncertain. In February 2026, Athletic Director Mark Harlan said he preferred a "renovation-plus" plan that would keep the building where it is, lower seating from about 15,000 to 8,000 or 9,000, and add premium seating. On June 29, 2026, the university announced it had selected Populous and VCBO Architecture to conduct a comprehensive feasibility study. The study will examine seismic upgrades, infrastructure modernization, improvements to the fan experience, and long-term revenue. The university has said the process could lead to a moderate renovation, a transformational renovation, or a partial rebuild. As part of the study, the university is surveying fans, ticket buyers, donors, and business partners through July 14, 2026. No final renovation plan has been approved yet.
About the Threat
The University of Utah’s campus master plan aims to turn the school from a commuter campus into a residential one, which has put pressure to change or replace the Huntsman Center. As of early 2026, the university seems to prefer renovation over demolition, but nothing is final. The current idea would reduce seating capacity from about 15,000 to 9,000, add premium seating, and possibly change the building’s footprint. Even without tearing down the building, major changes to the interior or dome could permanently damage its historic character.
Access
The Jon M. Huntsman Center remains open and actively in use. It continues to serve as the home venue for the University of Utah men's and women's basketball, volleyball, and gymnastics, and hosts university commencement ceremonies and other events. No closure or construction timeline has been announced. The feasibility study process is underway, but renovation work has not begun.
History
The Jon M. Huntsman Center opened in 1969 as the Special Events Center and was designed by architect Robert A. Fowler. In 1987, it was renamed to honor Jon M. Huntsman, a major supporter of the University of Utah. Its most notable feature is the Triax Dome, a large clear-span wood structure 364 feet across, which was the largest of its kind at the time.
Since it opened, the Huntsman Center has been home to the University of Utah basketball, gymnastics, and volleyball. It has also hosted NCAA tournament games, conference championships, concerts, graduations, and other big community events. The arena was the site of the 1979 NCAA championship game between Indiana State and Michigan State, the famous matchup between Larry Bird and Magic Johnson that helped raise college basketball’s national profile. For decades, a 98-foot-wide, 120-ton steel cloud hung from the dome, holding the lights, sound system, and scoreboard; it was replaced with a modern grid structure during a $6 million renovation in 2014.
What can be done? What was learned?
The Huntsman Center has never been formally evaluated for eligibility for the National Register of Historic Places. At 57 years old, it already exceeds the standard 50-year threshold for eligibility consideration, and a qualified preservation consultant could initiate that evaluation. A formal eligibility determination would document the building's architectural significance, particularly the Triax Dome, which was the largest clear-span wood dome in the world at the time of construction, and could strengthen the case for a preservation-sensitive renovation. It could also open the door to federal and state historic tax credits if the university pursues a certified rehabilitation.
What is the timeline?
The University of Utah board of trustees planned to vote on the Huntsman Center’s future on March 10, 2026, with additional votes scheduled for Spring as part of the campus master plan.
What has been the public discussion?
Since March 2025, the future of the Huntsman Center has drawn steady media coverage and public interest. This began when the University of Utah Board of Trustees approved the Campus Physical Development Framework and announced plans to relocate the arena as part of the College Town Magic initiative. Fans, alumni, and preservationists responded, and both the Daily Utah Chronicle and Building Salt Lake published pieces about the building’s architectural and cultural importance.
In January 2026, the focus of coverage shifted when Athletic Director Mark Harlan said the university was now considering renovating the arena rather than replacing it. In February, he told the board of trustees that renovation was where his "mindset is right now." The Deseret News and Salt Lake Tribune both reported on this change in direction. Preservation Utah’s 2025 Most Endangered listing also helped raise awareness about the building’s architectural value, especially the Triax Dome.
In March 2026, the university began soliciting bids from design firms for a feasibility study, as reported by KSL Sports. On June 29, 2026, the university announced it had chosen Populous, a national sports venue design firm, and VCBO Architecture, a Salt Lake City firm with experience in historic rehabilitation, to conduct the study. The announcement included a stakeholder survey sent by email to ticket buyers, fans, donors, and business partners beginning June 30, with responses accepted through July 14. The survey asks about arena access, seating, in-game entertainment and technology, premium offerings, concessions, restrooms, and parking. The announced survey topics do not include the building's historic or architectural character. The Salt Lake Tribune, Deseret News, and the university itself covered the announcement. Fans and alumni have been actively discussing the issue online, with most supporting renovation instead of demolition. However, many are still concerned about how much of the building's original character would remain after renovation.
Links to more information and articles.
Deseret News, July 8, 2026 — "Utah AD Mark Harlan talks private equity, Adidas deal, Huntsman Center renovation and more": https://www.deseret.com/sports/2026/07/08/mark-harlan-utah-ad-on-private-equity-adidas-deal-monster-huntsman-center-renovation/
Salt Lake Tribune, July 1, 2026 — "Utah is looking at a Huntsman Center renovation — and Utes fans can weigh in": https://www.sltrib.com/sports/utah-utes/2026/07/01/utes-fans-can-weigh-university/
Deseret News, June 29, 2026 — "Utah 'exploring options' to upgrade Huntsman Center": https://www.deseret.com/sports/2026/06/29/huntsman-center-renovation-study-university-of-utah/
@theU, June 29, 2026 — "University of Utah exploring options to upgrade and modernize Jon M. Huntsman Center": https://attheu.utah.edu/announcements/university-of-utah-exploring-options-to-upgrade-and-modernize-jon-m-huntsman-center/
KSL Sports, March 24, 2026 — "Utah progressing in Huntsman Center renovation": https://sports.ksl.com/ncaa/utah/utah-huntsman-center-renovation/573022
Deseret News, February 10, 2026 — "Will Utah renovate the Huntsman Center instead of building a new arena?": https://www.deseret.com/sports/2026/02/10/utah-utes-renovating-huntsman-center-mark-harlan
Salt Lake Tribune, February 10, 2026 — "The University of Utah has a new proposal for the Huntsman Center": https://www.sltrib.com/sports/utah-utes/2026/02/10/utah-utes-set-renovate-huntsman/
University of Utah official Huntsman Center page: https://utahutes.com/facilities/jon-m-huntsman-center/4
Salt Lake Tribune, January 7, 2026 — "How the University of Utah's plans for a new sports arena might be changing": https://www.sltrib.com/sports/utah-utes/2026/01/07/utah-huntsman-center-plans-could/
Daily Utah Chronicle, April 16, 2025 — original listing coverage: https://dailyutahchronicle.com/2025/04/16/despite-history-and-significance-plans-for-the-huntsman-centers-relocation-are-moving-forward/
Building Salt Lake opinion: https://buildingsaltlake.com/the-university-of-utah-has-a-master-planning-problem-opinion/