Fairpark District Plans Major Riverfront Overhaul

New entertainment district aims to transform the Jordan River into a community landmark, with or without a future MLB team.

Published on Feb. 27, 2026

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The Larry H. Miller Company, which is developing a 100-acre site in Salt Lake City's Fairpark District, has hired the architecture firm Field Operations to restore and design a one-mile loop along the Jordan River. The project aims to improve water quality, expand public access, and create safe connections between neighborhoods, regardless of whether a Major League Baseball stadium is ultimately built in the district.

Why it matters

For too long, the urban portions of the Jordan River have been overlooked. This project represents a once-in-a-generation opportunity to transform the river into an ecological and recreational asset for the community, modeled after iconic urban landmarks like New York City's High Line and Chicago's Navy Pier.

The details

The Fairpark District was created by the Utah Legislature in 2024. The Larry H. Miller Company, which is developing the 100-acre site, has hired the architecture firm Field Operations to lead the river restoration and design work. Their goals include restoring native habitat, improving water quality, expanding public access with trails and gathering spaces, and creating safe connections between surrounding neighborhoods.

  • In 2024, the Utah Legislature created the Fairpark District.
  • The Larry H. Miller Company hired Field Operations in 2026 to design the river project.
  • By 2032, Sen. Lincoln Fillmore hopes the river will be full of recreational activities like kayaking and fishing.

The players

Larry H. Miller Company

The real estate development company that is leading the 100-acre project in the Fairpark District.

Field Operations

The architecture firm hired by the Larry H. Miller Company to restore and design the one-mile loop along the Jordan River.

Steve Starks

CEO of the Larry H. Miller Company.

Erin Mendenhall

Mayor of Salt Lake City.

Lincoln Fillmore

South Jordan Republican state senator who is sponsoring a bill to allocate $2 million for river restoration.

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What they’re saying

“Our goals are clear with this project, restore native habitat and improve water quality, expand public access with trails, gathering spaces and river overlooks, create safe, beautiful connections between neighborhoods and design for resilience, for drought, for growth and for generations to come.”

— Steve Starks, CEO, Larry H. Miller Company (utahnewsdispatch.com)

“It will change the ecosystem of the Great Salt Lake. It will change Salt Lakers' relationship to this valley and the water that sustains us here.”

— Erin Mendenhall, Mayor, Salt Lake City (utahnewsdispatch.com)

“We will be investing millions of dollars to make further progress on the riparian corridor along the river, removing invasive weeds, replacing it with native grasses, native plants, to protect the river and to invest millions of dollars in turning the river into a recreational asset.”

— Lincoln Fillmore, State Senator, South Jordan (utahnewsdispatch.com)

What’s next

Sen. Lincoln Fillmore's bill to allocate $2 million for river restoration is currently waiting for a House floor vote.

The takeaway

This project represents a significant opportunity to transform the Jordan River into an ecological and recreational asset for the Salt Lake City community, regardless of whether a future MLB team is ultimately located in the Fairpark District. By restoring the river's natural habitat and improving public access, the development aims to create a new landmark that will change how residents interact with this vital waterway.