Jones is an independent pollster who also does work commissioned by other entities, including previous work for Salt Lake City.

The new poll also asked respondents about their downtown visiting habits and whether they expect to change those habits as construction progresses on City Creek Center and other downtown projects.

Most residents — 72 percent countywide and statewide — said they expect they will visit downtown for work, shopping, sports, religious and cultural reasons to the same degree as they do now. Twenty percent in the county and 16 percent statewide said they planned to visit downtown less during construction.

City Creek Center is a 20-acre mixed-use project aimed at revitalizing downtown by replacing the defunct Crossroads Plaza and soon-to-be-closed ZCMI Center with office space, condominium and apartment housing, and indoor-outdoor retail shopping, including three anchor department stores. PRI expects it to be finished in mid-2011.

---

E-mail: dsmeath@desnews.com