'I'm really liking it': Travelers react to Salt Lake airport's new 'river tunnel,' Concourse B gates

SALT LAKE CITY — Utah's largest airport has grown once again.

Passengers flying out Salt Lake City International Airport's Concourse B gates began shuffling through a new central tunnel for the first time Tuesday morning, several taking time to admire the blue hues of the new water-themed feature.

They were then greeted with a banner welcoming them to the new Concourse B plaza. After a few remarks, airport workers unfurled it to reveal "Northern Light," the airport's newest nature-themed art installation. The ball made of glass shards hung between makeshift canyon walls and over the World Map, a feature of the old airport reinstalled in its new home in the concourse plaza by the edge of the tunnel.

Moments later, the theme to "Jurassic Park" played as workers dropped a second banner to display Ally, a replica of an allosaurus that passengers can view behind the top of the escalators at the edge of the tunnel — adding to the Utah themes all throughout the airport.

"I'm really liking it," said Jeffrey Huffman, a passenger who said he came to the airport a little early to check out the new features before his flight to New Orleans to see a Taylor Swift concert there. "It's a calming experience."

What's new at the airport

All of these new art features are part of the third phase of airport construction that officially ended on Tuesday. The project also adds five new gates and several new stores for those flying in and out of the city.

The central tunnel is the first thing many passengers flying out of the airport will notice. Often referred to as the "river tunnel," artist Gordon Huether — the man behind most of the art installations at the airport — designed the all-blue tunnel to mimic the streams and rivers that flow between canyon walls.

It's expected to make the walk between the A and B concourses easier for many Concourse B fliers. It may not make a difference for those flying in and out of Gate B1, but it could save as much as a half-mile for those flying out of B32 or other gates closer to the plaza, according to Bill Wyatt, director of the Salt Lake City International Airport.

Meanwhile, Huether also designed two other elements: Canyon 2.0 and Northern Light for the new Concourse B plaza. The former mirrors the canyon walls within the Concourse A plaza so that the entrance and exit points of the tunnel are at the ends of mirroring canyon wall installations.

He designed the latter, Northern Light, that hangs between the new canyon walls. Much like the canyon feature, its lights will illuminate it in different colors, and it's expected to shine best at night.

"All of it about celebrating the natural beauty of Utah," Huether said, adding that he hopes his art helps ease the stress of travel.

Other elements tie in history and prehistory. Ally the Allosaurus was added after Natural History Museum of Utah officials offered the replica to the airport. It's a replica of a fossil collection that University of Utah paleontologists discovered at Dinosaur National Monument in 1924, according to Jason Cryan, executive director.

Passengers can scan a QR code that directs them to more information about the state's official fossil.

Those who head to Concourse B will also be reunited with the World Map, which crews finished installing at its new home earlier this year after an extensive excavation from the old airport. It depicts many of the routes fliers had access to at the time the old terminal opened in the early 1960s.

Sylvia Randall, a Utah native, made sure to stop at the map while she returned to visit family in the state, saying it was always a "centerpiece" in the old airport. Others were unaware of any of the history or new changes. Philip Sporn, of Raleigh, North Carolina, was passing through after a trip to Spokane, Washington, but he was impressed by what he saw.

"It's just beautiful ... it's new, and it's fun," he said.

The new additions are more than art, though. Lines quickly formed at new retail stores and restaurants, another perk available with the completed project.

Michael HcHenry, owner of Sunday's Best, said the restaurant is somewhat modeled after his flagship Sandy location that opened in 2021.

It features swanky upholstery and bright neon signs, but patrons may notice a few differences. It'll operate from 6 a.m. to 11 p.m. with about 70 employees hired to keep operations going. There's a shorter menu to serve food quicker for customers on the go, while mimosas are served earlier in the morning because of the difference in airport and state liquor laws.

HcHenry hopes that it will offer Utahns a slice of home before they depart or after they return — or give visitors and those who are connecting flights a sample of what Utah has to offer.

"To give them such a taste of Utah is an honor and something that we will most definitely not take for granted," he said.

What's to come

With Salt Lake City International Airport's third construction phase complete, the focus now shifts to the rest of Concourse B.

Wyatt previously described the third phase of construction as the "beginning of the end" of construction tied to the initial plans, freeing up construction workers to build on the remaining 21 gates that the facility will offer. Those are expected to open in phases by the end of 2026.

All of it will build on what's already available for travelers.

"We set out to build an airport that is sustainable, highly functional and inspiring," said Salt Lake City Mayor Erin Mendenhall. "I think we can all agree at this point — and looking forward to more openings in the future — we continue to succeed on all three of those points."

Future growth, such as a Concourse C and a tram connecting passengers to it, will begin once the airport reaches a passenger volume threshold. That could happen in the next decade.

Contributing: Shelby Lofton

Related topics