Designed by FFKR Architects in 1991, the Delta Center is a professional sports and entertainment venue located on a 10-acre block in the heart of Salt Lake City. The historically significant South Temple Street forms the northern edge of the plaza and links the arena to the Salt Palace Convention Center and the Central Business District. The result is a complementary overlap of urban activities and nearby private businesses and public facilities.

The primary design concept for the Delta Center is that of a giant urban lantern surrounded by heavily landscaped plazas. The building offsets the city grid system at a 45- degree angle, creating three large triangular urban spaces and a sunken service yard. Within each of the three pedestrian spaces lies a small amphitheater that has been used by civic and arts organizations for events such as the Salt Lake Arts and Living Traditions festivals.

The building’s transparent façade provides outward views of downtown Salt Lake City, the Oquirrh Mountains, Great Salt Lake, and the Wasatch Mountains. Principal circulation areas—stairs, elevators, and escalators—are located at the exterior building face, allowing for clear, direct, and highly visible crowd movement from the street and plaza. The multi-use arena’s flexible seating arrangement, optimized for basketball, also accommodates hockey, wrestling, concerts, convocations, circuses, rodeos, vehicular competitions of all sorts, and other entertainment activities.