Huntsman backs honorary name change for Salt Palace

Gov. Jon Huntsman Jr. said Thursday that he supports renaming the Salt Palace Convention Center after the late Gov. Cal Rampton, in honor of Rampton's efforts to promote tourism in Utah.

"It would be a nice tribute to the governor, who really did in the modern age begin our entire effort to promote our state," Huntsman told the Deseret Morning News, calling Rampton's advertising of the state "prodigious."

Rampton, who served three terms as governor from 1965 to 1977, launched the state's first bid to host the Olympics, decades before Utah was awarded the 2002 Winter Games as a way to help the then-struggling ski industry.

Huntsman said in an interview that "it would be an appropriate gesture to have the Utahn in recent history most associated with travel and tourism to have his name emblazoned upon the destination that speaks of travel and tourism."

Although concerns have been raised that the name change would cause confusion in marketing the convention center, Huntsman said that shouldn't be a problem. "You can probably promote both names, if you thought creatively," he said.

Huntsman's backing of the name change comes just days after Rampton's death. Funeral services for the state's longest-serving governor are scheduled today. On Thursday, Rampton's body lay in state at the Governor's Mansion.

The Salt Lake County Council is tentatively scheduled to discuss the name change Tuesday, county Mayor Peter Corroon said.

The possible Rampton convention center is locked in a political battle among the council members, with some Republicans questioning the switch. They say changing the name could harm future bookings at the convention center, since millions of dollars have already been spent on marketing the Salt Palace name.

County Council Chairman Mark Crockett said the governor's stamp of approval won't automatically change his opinion. "It certainly means that we'll give it its due look, but we probably would have anyway," Crockett said.

State Senate leaders also support renaming the Salt Palace to honor Rampton, Corroon said. Attempts to reach Senate President John Valentine, R-Orem, were unsuccessful Thursday.

Corroon said the support of state leaders should be more than enough to convince the County Council to honor Rampton. "This is a great way to recognize a great leader in our state," Corroon said.