Salt Lake City International Airport (SLC) unveiled Phase 3 of its SLC Redevelopment Program, which includes the Central Tunnel, Concourse B Plaza, 12 concessions, 5 Delta Air Lines gates and new art and history installations.
Central Tunnel
The key new element is the Central Tunnel connecting A and B Concourses featuring a large-scale art installation by Artist Gordon Huether titled “The River Tunnel.”
This art installation reflects the rivers that flow through the state’s mountains and canyons. Huether even provides a Spotify playlist with more than 100 songs for the artwork.
As passengers exit The River Tunnel, they enter the Concourse B Plaza where there is an extension of The Canyon and the Northern Light oculus art installations by Huether.
Northern Light weighs 3.1 tons and is fabricated from 500 glass rods and 300 dichroic glass panels.
World Map returns
The Concourse B Plaza is now home to The World Map that once graced the floor of Terminal 1 in the original airport.
The World Map was created by Dallas stoneworker Julius Bartoli based on drawings by Ashton, Evans & Brazier and installed in Terminal 1 in 1960.
And a dinosaur!
A secret until opening day, SLC has made space for “Ally the Dinosaur,” a gift from the Natural History Museum of Utah (NHMU).
The replica fossil skeleton of Allosaurus fragilis—Utah’s state fossil—is the quintessential Late Jurassic carnivorous dinosaur. The giant animal roamed Utah’s landscapes 150 million years ago and is now one of the most popular dinosaurs worldwide.
New Concessions
This new phase at SLC includes a dozen new concessions as well.
Dining options include Bambuza Vietnam Kitchen; Freddy’s Frozen Custard and Steakburgers; Maggiano’s Little Italy; Sunday’s Best; The Coffee Bean and Tea Leaf; and Thirst.
Shops include Cotopaxi; iStore Express; Relay; Travel Right; The Canyon; and Weller Book Works.
The River Tunnel is NOT filled with water
Contrary to what the airport announced on April 1 (April Fools Day), the tunnel is not filled with water.
And it does not have Disney-type boats instead of moving walkways with paddles provided to passengers who want to row their boats.
Though that would be fun…
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