"It's ambitious in its nature to really develop Salt Lake in a way that moves in a quantum leap forward, not just an incremental leap," Hansen said. "Let's get a unified, laser focus on what will make Salt Lake a premiere business location."

Downtown Rising draws on the tradition of the Second Century plan in Salt Lake City during the 1960s. Leaders at that time determined the city needed a convention center, a performing-arts center, street cars or circulators downtown, a pedestrian mall or plaza, midblock crosswalks to encourage more walking, and more housing.

More than 40 years later, much of that original vision has come to Salt Lake. The convention center is the Salt Palace, the performing-arts center materialized as Abravanel Hall, the TRAX light-rail system circulates downtown, pedestrians walk the Main Street Plaza, the midblock crosswalks are in place and more housing is now coming to fruition with condominium and apartment projects throughout downtown.

Beattie said it's time for the next generation of leaders to determine the shape of the city in coming decades.

"The capital city is a very important part of the economy and vitality of the state," Beattie said. "It's exciting to see the number of people who are proud of and who want to be sure that Salt Lake City speaks to the future of Utah and what Utahns are all about."

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Editor's note: Jim Wall, publisher of the Deseret Morning News, is a member of the Downtown Rising's Board of Conveners.

E-mail: kswinyard@desnews.com