Utah LGBTQ+ Visitors Center
The Utah LGBTQ+ Chamber of Commerce Announces Plan to Open an LGBTQ+ Visitors Center in Downtown Salt Lake City
SALT LAKE CITY, UT – October 17, 2023 – With the intent of driving LGBTQ+ tourism revenue and promoting local queer and allied businesses, the Utah LGBTQ+ Chamber is pleased to announce plans to open an LGBTQ+ Visitors Center in downtown Salt Lake City.
The Visitors Center will be developed to engage visitors with local businesses and events, and to provide resources to newly relocated LGBTQ+ individuals and those wishing to start or expand their businesses in Utah. The Visitors Center will also host local queer arts and history installations, Chamber and SafeZone Utah events, and provide affordable retail space for Utah-local artists and makers.
As LGBTQ+ travel dollars account for 7%-10% of all U.S. tourism revenue, the Chamber is embarking on this project to connect LGBTQ+ travelers to all that our state and community have to offer and in turn strengthen our local economy.
Small business owner and Chamber Board Secretary, Ed Turner, who relocated to Utah in 2017 after being pleasantly surprised by the livability of our state and vibrance of our local queer community, notes:
“Utah’s LGBTQ+ community has played a major role in the economic growth and development of our state, with Salt Lake City consistently listed as having one of the largest queer communities in the US.
"The Chamber celebrates the state’s major tourism draws, regardless of the season, and our local queer and allied business impact. The Visitor Center will only add to the uniqueness of Utah while supporting the state’s world class visitor attractions and unique cultural history. The Utah LGBTQ+ chamber wants everyone to visit the country’s best kept secret!”
Chamber leaders along with a community-based advisory committee will study the feasibility of the project and timeline throughout 2024. Fundraising and planning will extend through 2028 year-end with the goal of opening the visitors center in May of 2027. Those wishing to learn more about the project and/or join the Chamber’s LGBTQ+ Tourism Committee are encouraged to contact Liz Pitts, Chamber President & CEO liz.pitts@utahlgbtqchamber.org.
Utah LGBTQ+ Visitors Center Timeline Update - April 2026
When the Utah LGBTQ+ Chamber of Commerce announced plans for the Utah LGBTQ+ Visitors Center in October 2023, the goal was ambitious but clear: create a welcoming gateway for LGBTQ+ travelers, connect visitors and newly relocated community members with Utah’s vibrant LGBTQ+ and allied businesses, and build a permanent hub celebrating queer culture, entrepreneurship, and history in our state.
The Chamber originally announced a target opening date of May 2026. Today, we are sharing that the timeline for the project will be extended, with a new anticipated opening date of May 2029.
This decision reflects the reality of the moment we are living in.
Since the 2024 presidential election, the business and philanthropic landscape has shifted dramatically for many organizations serving LGBTQ+ communities. Across the country, and here in Utah, nonprofits and mission-driven organizations are navigating an environment where funding priorities have changed, corporate support has become scarce, and organizations like ours are increasingly targeted politically and economically.
For the Chamber, this has meant focusing first on sustaining the core work that supports Utah’s LGBTQ+ business community: economic opportunity, connection, and advocacy for queer and allied entrepreneurs and businesses. In that environment, launching a capital campaign for a new physical space has proven significantly more challenging than anticipated.
Rather than scale back the vision or move forward in a way that could compromise the long-term success of the project, the Chamber has made the decision to extend the timeline for the Utah LGBTQ+ Visitors Center.
The vision itself has not changed.
The Utah LGBTQ+ Visitors Center will still be designed to:
- Connect LGBTQ+ travelers and newly relocated residents with Utah’s LGBTQ+ and allied businesses
- Serve as a gathering space for Chamber programming, community events, and Safe Zone Utah initiatives
- Showcase local queer art, culture, and history
- Provide affordable retail opportunities for LGBTQ+ makers and small businesses
At a time when LGBTQ+ people across the country are facing increasing hostility, spaces that celebrate our community, our businesses, and our culture matter more, not less.
We remain committed to building the Utah LGBTQ+ Visitors Center in a way that reflects the strength, resilience, and creativity of Utah’s LGBTQ+ community. Extending the timeline allows us to move forward thoughtfully and sustainably while continuing the work of supporting LGBTQ+ businesses today.
We will share additional updates as the project evolves.
The Utah LGBTQ+ Chamber of Commerce supports and connects LGBTQ+ and allied businesses through strategic programs,engagement, and advocacy which drive economic opportunity, visibility, and sustainable growth.
SafeZone Utah creates safer spaces for LGBTQ+ community members through education and advocacy by providing training and resources to Utah businesses. SafeZone Utah 501c3 EIN#81-4025265