Since the earliest settlers a performing arts venue has always been a vibrant part of Salt Lake City and has been a key component of Utah’s cultural landscape. Beginning in the 1960s Salt Lake City included a vision for a grand performing arts center in its strategic plan but other priorities had taken precedence. Over time, while the City met its myriad goals and objectives, the dream of a center was never lost. The need for a world-class venue with seating to attract first run Broadway shows was becoming more and more apparent as the 2000s came to an end.
Coupled with the impact of a performing arts center on economic development in downtown Salt Lake, a new center was attracting significant attention and planning ensued. By 2012 the Redevelopment Agency of Salt Lake City was ready to move forward with private, philanthropic naming rights marketing for a performing arts center but did not have the internal capacity for this type of highly specialized fundraising.
Pathway principals Phyllis Hockett and Dave Jones (shown here with Spence Eccles at the announcement of the new George S. and Dolores Doré Eccles Theater) were hired to provide the expertise and knowledge required to meet the City’s total budget for the project. Pathway Associates worked closely with the developer, GTS Development, the RDA, and the County’s Center for the Arts, as well as Utah’s generous philanthropic community to attract financial support.
When the nationally recognized 2,500 seat, Broadway-style theater opened in October 2016, Pathway Associates had successfully raised $37.5 million. Pathway Associates was a key partner in the highly successful collaboration among Salt Lake City, Salt Lake County, GTS - Garfield Traub Swisher, Magic Space Entertainment, and world renowned architects, Pelli Clarke Pelli.
I can say without hesitation that Pathway’s involvement in the marketing of naming rights has been key to the success of our plan of finance.
Justin Belliveau
Redevelopment Agency of Salt Lake City
