The final gates mark the completion of the HOK-designed airport redevelopment, the first new U.S. hub airport built in the 21st century.
Salt Lake City International Airport (SLC) has completed its 12-year redevelopment with the opening of the final seven gates in Concourse B on Oct. 27. The milestone brings the HOK-designed airport to 94 gates and concludes a program that broke ground in 2014 and opened in phases beginning in 2020.
SLC celebrated the achievement Oct. 24 with an event recognizing the people and partnerships behind the project. The program included remarks from Salt Lake City Mayor Erin Mendenhall, airport Executive Director Bill Wyatt and other project contributors, as well as art and music celebrating the airport and region. HOK team members attended the celebration.
“From the beginning, this project challenged our team to think differently about how to build a major hub airport while keeping operations moving and creating an experience rooted in Utah,” said Matt Needham, director of Aviation + Transportation at HOK. “Reaching this final milestone is a proud moment for everyone involved, and we’re grateful for the trust and partnership Salt Lake City International Airport has extended to HOK throughout this journey.”
HOK designed the airport to replace three aging terminals built in the 1950s and 1960s with a more efficient, traveler-focused facility capable of accommodating growing demand. Built on the same site through a multi-phased approach, the 4.4-million-sq.-ft. airport campus features a central terminal and two linear concourses connected by the 1,175-foot underground pedestrian River Tunnel. The design draws inspiration from Utah’s landscapes and culture through expansive mountain views, natural materials, local dining and retail, and art, all integrated throughout the traveler journey.
The final phase completes the east end of Concourse B and introduces seven gates, six concessions and a suspended art installation from Gordon Huether. Now complete, SLC has capacity to serve 34 million travelers annually.