Salt Lake City—In another move aimed toward transforming itself into an active, community-driven downtown hub, The Gateway has announced an aggressive new grant program, awarding $5,000 to festival owners and directors willing to move their event to the property.

The program is designed to work in accordance with the newly released 2017 Downtown Rising Action Plan, where The Downtown Alliance announced its objective of capitalizing on the multi-million dollar investments for The Gateway and Vivint Smart Home Arena. That plan, which supports an initiative for an enhanced “Sports and Entertainment District,” will advocate for increased spending on retail, food, beverage, parking, transportation and additional opportunities for original programming in the area.

The Gateway’s program will offer $5,000 for each selected event—set to double if attendance reaches 10,000 people. The intent is to reposition the center’s “role in this community, and placing a renewed effort on emphasizing art, entertainment, and culture,” according to the company’s grant proposal document, with a submission deadline of April 1, 2017.

“As we move into the next phase of our renovation,” says Edie Trott, marketing director at The Gateway, “we’re intent on making The Gateway a place that reflects something real about Salt Lake City and celebrates our community. We’re excited to provide a format to encourage and support a wide array of gatherings and expression.”

In addition to the grant, The Gateway also promises more on-site support and promotion to help enhance the efforts of each event, such as additional facilities, security efforts and the opportunity to close down Rio Grande Street.

With a $100 million renovation in full swing, The Gateway continues to add to its tenant roster and they’re hopeful that initiatives like the new new grant will continue to emphasize the center’s commitment to the community.

“We’re excited to see everything The Gateway is doing,” says Jason Mathis, executive director of The Downtown Alliance. “They’ve proven their commitment to the area time and time again, and as we see them playing a larger role in making downtown a livelier place, we can’t help but be excited for what’s next.”

The call-for-entries document can be seen here. For any questions, please contact Edie Trott at 801-456-0000.