Davis County is already expanding its 2-year-old conference center. This is good news for northern Utah residents because it will allow the center to host more consumer trade shows. When I lived there, I rarely attended shows, although many interested me, because I didn't want to make the hour-long trek to the Southtowne Expo Center in Sandy. I attended many more shows when they were held at the much more convenient (for northerners) Salt Palace.
A larger center in Davis planned
By Joseph M. Dougherty
Deseret Morning News
When Davis County's Barry Burton goes to Layton next month to meet with the city's planning commission, he will apply for site-plan approval for an expansion of the Davis Conference Center.
GSBS ArchitectsArtist's rendering shows plans for the expansion of the Davis Conference Center in Layton. Last year, the Davis County Board of Commissioners opted to issue $9.96 million in sales-tax revenue bonds to pay for the 40,000-square-foot addition, which will feature a 17,000-square-foot exhibit hall that could be expanded to 24,000 square feet.
As Davis County's assistant director of community and economic development, Burton will be the expansion's project manager. He previously oversaw the construction of the existing conference center; the Davis County Events Center, formerly known as the FairPark; and the Centerville branch of the Davis County Library.
During a board meeting Tuesday, commissioners officially authorized the two applications Burton will take to Layton. The county cannot start construction until Layton approves the project.
The Davis Conference Center has operated at nearly full capacity since it opened in 2004. The conference center expansion is expected to bring $15 million to $16 million to Davis County's economy by hosting larger conventions than the existing conference center can accommodate.
Construction on a 302-stall parking lot for the expansion will likely begin in March, Burton said.