The original Salt Palace, completed in 1969, became the beloved home of several professional sports teams. However, in 1994 the arena was demolished to make way for a 616,000 sf convention center built in its place. The Salt Palace now features expansive exhibit areas up to 270 feet wide — an impressive 180 feet of this width is column free. One of the most striking architectural features is the creative use of hollow structural steel in exposed applications.