Ground was broken for the county's "civic auditorium" in March 1967, and the Salt Palace opened in the summer of 1969 at a cost of $17 million with a seating capacity of 10,725. Later expanded to 12,666 seats, the venue was the home of the Utah Stars of the American Basketball Association from 1970 to 1975, the Salt Lake Golden Eagles hockey club from 1969 to 1991, and the NBA's Utah Jazz from 1979 to 1991.
From 1980 until the arena's closing, the arena was officially named the "Salt Palace Acord Arena" in memory of Thayne and Lorraine Acord. The elevation of the arena at street level was approximately 4,300 feet (1,310 m) above sea level.
In 1994, three years after the Jazz moved into the new Delta Center (now Vivint Arena), the Salt Palace was demolished. A convention center of the same name stands on the site today.
The first Salt Palace in the city was a theater and dance hall at 900 South, between State and Main streets; its exterior was sprayed with salt crystals to reflect the sun. The structure was lost to a fire in 1910.
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