The Salt Lake Valley was settled in 1847 by Mormon pioneers (members of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints). The area offered a haven to practice their religion free from persecution. After an arduous trip by covered wagon through rough terrain, their leader, Brigham Young, spotted the valley and uttered the now-famous words, "This is the right place!" Little did he realize it would be the place for business, culture, fine dining, city adventures and a candidate for the 2002 Winter Olympic Games!

Statistics. Utah's population is 1.8 million and 765,000 people live in the Salt Lake area. Utah has:
• One of the 10 lowest violent crime rates
• The youngest population
• One of the highest birth rates and the second lowest death rate
• The healthiest population
• The highest literacy rate
• The highest percentage of high school graduates
• The highest number of people with college education's

Business & Employment. Utah has:
• The second largest concentration of computer software firms (Provo/Orem)
• One of the four largest concentrations of biomedical firms (Salt Lake)
• 450 high technology firms employing 13,000 workers.

Tourism, trade, government and manufacturing are Utah's top four areas of employment. In 1994, CFO Magazine ranked Salt Lake as one of the best environments for business. In October 1993, Salt Lake tied with Indianapolis, Indiana as the eighth best place to live in North America.

Transportation. Interstate Highways 15 and 80 intersect in Salt Lake. "Conde Nast Traveler" magazine ranked Salt Lake City International Airport the ninth best in the U.S. The airport's new International Building has customs and a duty free shop. Salt Lake International City Airport is closer to the heart of the city it serves (a ten minute drive) than nearly any other US airport. Nine major airlines and two regional carriers serve Salt Lake, offering a total of 624 arriving and departing flights daily, with 75,000 passenger seats. As the "Crossroads of the West" at least half of America's population is located within a 2 1\2 hour flight from Salt Lake.

Hotels - Motels, Restaurants & Nightlife. Visitors to Salt Lake have their choice of 11,000 hotel rooms and 7,000 rooms in nearby communities. There are more than 300 restaurants in the Salt Lake area. Seventy-five restaurants and numerous nightclubs are within walking distance of the Salt Palace Convention Center, the Delta Center Arena and downtown hotels. Alcoholic beverages may be served with meals in restaurants and hotels. Drinks are also available in non-exclusive clubs where visitors are welcome to purchase temporary memberships at a nominal fee. Liquor can be purchased in state liquor stores located in the Salt Lake area.

Tourism. Seven million people visit the Salt Lake area each year. Sixty percent of the skiers at Salt Lake ski resorts are out-of-state and international visitors. In 1995, Life Magazine ranked Salt Lake as one of the top vacation getaways.

Sports & Recreation. Nine major ski resorts, three cross country ski areas and the nation's only recreational ski jumping complex are less than an hour's drive from downtown. During warmer seasons, Salt Lake canyons are filled with hikers, cyclists, rock climbers and picnickers. Utah is the home of the US Ski Team. Salt Lake's low humidity (normally 15% or less) makes outdoor recreation more comfortable in both summer and winter. Sports fans enjoy two professional teams: The Utah Jazz - NBA basketball The Utah Grizzlies- IHL Hockey The Salt Lake Buzz - Triple A baseball

The Arts. Salt Lake is the perfect destination for patrons of the performing arts with:
• Ballet West
• The Utah Opera Company
• Ririe-Woodbury Dance Company
• Repertory Dance Theatre
• The Mormon Tabernacle Choir
• Numerous theater groups
• The Utah Symphony (12th largest in the US)
• Fifteen art galleries are within minutes of downtown hotels. Five more are only a short drive.

Museums of note in Salt Lake include:
• The Museum of Natural History
• The Utah State Historical Society
• The Utah Museum of the Fine Arts

Attractions. Eleven national parks are less than a day's drive from Salt Lake. Five of those are located in Utah.

Top attractions for Salt Lake Visitors include: Historic Temple Square, The Beehive House, The Bingham Copper Mine (world's largest open pit mine), Great Salt Lake, Antelope Island, This is the Place Monument and State Park, The Utah State Capitol Building.

Within walking distance of Salt Lake's Delta Center Arena and downtown hotels, visitors can explore the ZCMI Center Mall and Crossroads Plaza, two of the largest indoor shopping malls in the country. Many of the shops are open every day and stay open late on weekdays.

Trolley Square, a restored historic trolley station turned shopping mall, is a few blocks from downtown Salt Lake.