Taking Another Shot

Cal Wadsworth has resurrected his general contractor firm with the goal of eventually handing the reins over to his sons. 
By Brad Fullmer

At an age when most folks are kicking off their post-retirement "golden years", 66-year-old Cal Wadsworth is attacking this chapter of his life with the zest of a man reborn, having fired back up his general contractor firm in 2020 with a vision of eventually turning it over to the next generation.

It speaks to his resolve as a businessman and construction lifer, as a parent who wants to do right by his children, but even more as a person who has rallied/is rallying back from a challenging period personally, which coincided with the great recession and led to him shuttering Cal Wadsworth Construction in 2010. 

"I'm realizing more with time that I'm not in control as much I thought," said Wadsworth. "There is the realization that you've got to give up control. You can't base all your happiness on the money that comes from this business. Learning to live with disappointments is something I'm getting better at. Learning to live with them and not let them ruin my confidence, or my ambition. I live by the 'Serenity Prayer'."

Cal Wadsworth (center) is flanked by sons Chris (left) and Jordan at the firm’s office in Draper. Cal started his general building firm back up in 2020 after a decade doing other things, including becoming a renowned chef. 

Lone Wolf 

The second of seven sons born to Ralph and Peggy Wadsworth, Cal grew up working on the family farm, which later transitioned to working in construction when his father founded Draper-based heavy-highway general contractor Ralph L. Wadsworth (RLW) Construction in 1975. After several years working for the family business—and navigating a competitive environment that offered its fair share of friction, Cal decided he was ready for a fresh start and founded Cal Wadsworth Construction (CWC) in 1984, where he was able to display his jack-of-all-trades versatility as a contractor. 


He initially started out as a subcontractor on RLW Construction projects before branching out as a general contractor specializing in small public projects that he could complete himself.


"I started out doing piece meal work (for Ralph); I'd give him a bid for painting at half price, so he started farming out miscellaneous jobs to me," Cal recalled. "I was making him money because I was cheap and figured as long as I'm making $10 an hour, I'm doing great. I started taking on more work from other sources and that was pivotal for me."


Cal hooked up with Dave Woodman, formerly of Assist Inc., and found ample work that was also fulfilling because of the people being helped. Assist Inc. was founded in Utah 1969 as an independent, non-profit Community Design Center that provides a host of services to people in need, including housing repair for low-income households and design-assist for people with disabilities. 


"I became a framer, electrician, roofer—I was doing everything, a jack-of-all-trades," said Cal. "I know how to work with my hands for sure. I spent so many years with a toolbelt on, years of working alone. I became more of a social worker and began to spend more time with clients. A lot were widowed, impoverished. I'd get a call to put a door in and end up chatting for 90 minutes...they'd invite me to have lunch, tell the story of their life. Dave Woodman even encouraged [and appreciated] that. It gave me more work." 


He also did various projects for nearly a decade for the Salt Lake Redevelopment Agency, mainly doing home improvement and T.I. work for SLC residents. One of his favorite projects was the Activity Barn at Wheeler Farm in 1990. Cal was also active in with the Associated General Contractors (AGC) of Utah, serving as Chairman in 2002. In 2003, Cal moved to Arizona, setting up shop in Cave Creek, a small city north of Phoenix. Over the next five years, work in the Grand Canyon State was plentiful and the firm thrived, particularly in the K-12 market, doing renovation and T.I. projects across the state for various school districts. Then came the recession beginning in 2008, and by 2010 he was forced to shut down all operations.


"Bad things happen to all people," he said, adding that it took him some time to figure out what to do next.


Contractor to Chef 

Cal realized the need to switch gears—starting with a career change—and enrolled in culinary school at Le Cordon Bleu in Scottsdale. From 2010-2012 he worked for his brother, Guy Wadsworth (owner of Draper-based Wadsworth Brothers Construction), as a baker at Tuscany in Salt Lake, then opened The Ridge in Draper with his wife, Gaye, with financial backing from his brother, Tod Wadsworth (Vice President of Draper-based Ralph L. Wadsworth Construction). From 2012-2018, Cal was the primary chef, while Gaye ran the front of the house operations for the quaint restaurant. 


"It sounds romantic," he quipped about the reality of working side-by-side, day-after-day, with your spouse, in a high-pressure, fast-moving environment. "It's not. I'm not the easiest guy to get along with sometimes." 


Tod said Cal approached the job with utmost professionalism and with the same tenacity he does as a contractor.


"It's a different business altogether, where Cal was into perfection and meal presentation," said Tod. "He worked seven days a week for years and put his heart and soul into that business. I think it was a great opportunity for him to try something he always had a passion for and get it out of his system. He is one of the best chefs I know, one that truly puts the time and effort into his work, using the best ingredients and cutting no corners."


After six years, Cal was ready to get back to the construction world and returned to Ralph L. Wadsworth Construction as a Project Manager in 2018, a stint that lasted two years. He managed two notable projects during this time, including the Timpanogos Visitor's Center in American Fork Canyon and The Cliffs at Jordan Station, a $32 million, 220-unit project. 


He ultimately left RLW and hooked up with Jeff Davis of Construction Management Consultants, working with him for a year and eventually getting CWC relaunched in March 2020, right as COVID-19 hit. 

  • Deer Creek Campground

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  • Salt Lake International Airport. Glycol Plant

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  • Salt Lake International Airport. Gate 39

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Recent projects include the Deer Creek Campground Improvements, and two projects at the Salt Lake International Airport: a new Glycol Plant and Gate 39.  The firm also made significant improvements to Green River Campground.  (Photos courtesy of Cal Wadsworth Construction)

Next Gen Up; Bringing Seasoned Talent Aboard

Growing up, Chris and Jordan had zero interest in following in their father's footsteps, but by the end of 2021, both found themselves in situations that were not viable long-term. The prospect of connecting with Cal on a professional level and learning the construction trade from him was enticing. Cal at that time was looking for help, but unsure if his sons had interest in joining him. 


"Growing up, they wanted nothing to do with this business [...] so it was interesting they came to work for me after all these years and this late in their life," said Cal, with Chris (37) and Jordan (33) in their mid-30s. "I just called them out of the blue one day and asked 'Are you happy? I could sure use your help'." 


In February of 2022, Chris left his job of eight years in business development for a drug testing company to join Cal. Jordan, who had been with Ralph L. Wadsworth Construction for three years as a project engineer and software specialist, followed in May. 


"The opportunity to work in the family business and switch industries was appealing [...] take a leap of faith and jump in," said Chris. 


"I had reached a point where I didn't want to pursue climbing the ladder where I was at," said Jordan. "Chris was already on board, which did help." 

In addition to his title of President, Cal is the firm's lone estimator, which hearkens back to his early days of being a veritable one-man band and doing everything himself. 


"I enjoy the bidding process, I enjoy estimating—it's a lonely endeavor," said Cal. "It's like studying for a test. You have to do that in solitude."


"Cal is relentless in his pursuit of doing things right," said Chris. "He doesn't accept mediocrity. He's scrappy when it comes to finding ways to maximize profits on jobs."


"He doesn't think roadblocks exist," added Jordan. "You find a way through, around, over it. When a door opens, you walk through it." 


Chris works in operations and finance, while Jordan is a ProCore software expert and works in a project controls role. Both will be expected to learn business development and project management over the next 5-7 years before deciding on how best to transition ownership. 


"It is great to see Cal continue the Wadsworth family's construction legacy by hopping back into the construction business with Chris and Jordan," said Kip Wadsworth, CEO of Draper-based Wadsworth Development Group. "This is a great move as working with family is very gratifying, provides a succession plan for Cal, and will carry on the Wadsworth's reputation for hard work, quality and integrity."


The firm has made solid strides in four years, with 50% annual growth three years running, and growing to 17 total employees, including the additions of industry veterans—Jordan Boyer, Cory Wadsworth (a cousin), Mike Carroll, and Trent Stronghorn. All four have 30+ years of construction experience and a passion for building quality projects.


The firm remains committed to working on smaller public projects—Cal's bread-and-butter for many years—and recent projects like the $3.5 million Deer Creek State Park Campground in Provo Canyon, an expansion of the Park and Wait Lot at the Salt Lake International Airport, two Amtrak Railroad stations in Southern Utah, and a $3.5 million park plaza project in the Marmalade District of SLC—a project which Chris described as a "very complicated, cool project" that underscores CWC's prowess in the public market. That said, Cal knows gaining traction in the private development market is essential for long-term prosperity for CWC. 


"We've hired some talented people recently, which is a significant investment for us," said Cal. "We're trying to develop a private market segment so we're not just doing public procurement work. We hope this is a move in the right direction and allows us to do our job better and grow the company."


He continued, "We're more focused on building a team and sharpening our tools before we march into battle is one way to look at it. We're not on this instant crusade to achieve success as fast as possible. I'm more interested in slow, moderate growth, preserving a quality of life, and along the way mentoring and teaching other people. That's more my focus this time around... trying to help (Chris and Jordan) so they can run it without me. "I'm optimistic about the chance we have to succeed and grow the company."


Tod said the re-establishment of CWC offers lasting upside to Cal and his family.



"(The benefit) is two-fold; a way for him to continue the next chapter of CWC and a way for him to give back," he said. "There's something special about building projects for others, either private or public, that gives you the feeling and satisfaction of giving back, along with the ability to admire your work and share with your family for generations to come. Personally, I am proud of his efforts and the drive to overcome past failures or experiences and turn them into success stories, especially with his boys."

Black Desert Oasis

By Brad Fullmer • October 15, 2025
When Lehi-based Reef Capital Partners (Reef) initially announced plans in 2018 to build a sprawling, estimated $2 billion mega-resort with a championship-caliber golf course on 600 acres covering parts of Ivins and Santa Clara—small towns with just over 15,000 combined residents at the time—it was difficult to fathom what a project of that magnitude might look like. Fast forward seven years, and Black Desert Resort is indeed a shining oasis amidst Southern Utah's famed red rock cliffs, sitting atop an ancient lava field, with buildings strategically carved into the land to produce a resort unlike anything else. "This is the biggest project we've ever done—we feel really good where we are," said Brett Boren, President of Real Estate for Reef, acknowledging the general completion of the $290 million, 806,000-SF resort center, along with significant ongoing work—including a 1,298-stall parking garage, condominiums, and a private water park. As of September, all aspects of the main resort center were open and fully complete, with the hotel celebrating its first official year in business after partially opening in September 2024 as it hosted the inaugural PGA Black Desert Championship October 10-13. The second installment of the tournament—now dubbed the Bank of Utah Championship—is slated for October 23-26, with a third tournament signed for 2026.

Calder Richards Celebrates 20 Years of Sustainable Evolution

By UC&D • October 1, 2025
In 2005, Calder Richards Consulting Engineers formed after the merger of two smaller structural consulting firms who, interestingly enough, both started in 1986. Calder Richards has provided a steady structural support for Utah’s built environment ever since. As the firm celebrates its 20th anniversary, UC+D spoke with Managing Principals Shaun Packer and Nolan Balls to look back over the company’s history and celebrate what has helped their firm stand out to deliver solid projects in Utah and beyond. Their responses were edited for clarity and brevity. UC+D: What have been some catalytic moments for Calder Richards since that initial merger? SP: Winning the Talking Stick Resort in Scottsdale, Arizona is the first one. The big reason for the merger between Richards Consulting Group and Calder Consulting was to build a large enough company to go after bigger projects like that.” NB: That was my first project when I was hired straight out of college. We helped design the 17-story hotel and casino, a conference center, as well as parking structures, a central mechanical building, and a pool building. Talking Stick helped get us through the downturn a few years later. UC+D: What have been your key market sectors you all have targeted over the last 20 years? NB: We were breaking into K-12 along the Wasatch Front soon after the Talking Stick Resort and it’s been our bread and butter since then. SP: Absolutely, but I credit our firm for always adapting to the current environment. We’ve been fortunate to do so much K-12, but we used to do a lot of office work, and now we are working on conversions like the Ebay Headquarters to CTE/Innovation Center for Canyons School District as the market has shifted away from commercial office. UC+D: Schools have certainly evolved over the last 20 years, how has your work as structural engineers evolved? SP: We are seeing more creative design on the architectural side, certainly. We see many more two-story designs; more windows and daylighting. But we’re utilizing more powerful tools and continually building our understanding of the structural materials that are in use more than ever—tilt-up concrete, steel columns and beams, especially—to be the architect’s trusted partner. NB: Schools have definitely changed, and we’ve had better experience in helping projects move forward successfully when we are involved earlier in the design process. As we got involved early on in West High School’s schematic design, we were able to provide structural solutions and options to accommodate the architects’ design intent. UC+D: How has company growth changed Calder Richards? SP: It’s certainly changed the number of people in our office. We started with around 10 people when we merged, and today we have 27. But we often say that we don’t want to grow just to grow—we want to grow sustainably. We don’t lay people off when works slows down, and we have an expectation that sometimes there will be overtime work, and other times you may be waiting for our next project to begin.

The (Epi)Center of it All

By By Taylor Larsen • October 1, 2025
Nested in the middle of the University of Utah (U of U) campus sits the aptly-named Impact & Prosperity Epicenter, the second living learning community (LLC) project designed on campus by Los Angeles-based Yazdani Studio of CannonDesign. After nearly a decade since their first LLC project, the award-winning Lassonde Studios (UC+D’s 2016 Most Outstanding Public Building over $10 million), Mehrdad Yazdani, the design firm’s Principal and Studio Director, said their work on a sequel was an exciting prospect for the firm, and enlisted Salt Lake-based MHTN Architects and Okland Construction to serve as the respective local architect and general contractor. Today, the Epicenter serves as a striking piece of architecture and construction, one whose curvilinear shape asks users and visitors plenty of questions. But moving from idea to execution has been a work in progress. One query from Yazdani stood out as it relates to students and the built environment, and helped begin the journey to create the Epicenter: “How does your living environment as a student impact your success as a student and as a changemaker?” A Project for an Evolving Campus Katie Macc, CEO of the Sorenson Impact Institute, said LLCs like the Epicenter and Lassonde Studios next door have been massive steps forward in advancing entrepreneurship and social impact. But both play a major role in creating “college town magic”—a phrase coined by University President Taylor Randall that invokes a vibrant campus where students can find community and have one-of-a-kind experiences. With more on-campus student housing in the works, the state’s flagship university is hoping to shed the “commuter school” label and deliver a level of desirability that matches the resources students commit to higher education. “There is some soul searching going on across university campuses,” said Macc of the challenge at hand. “We have to be convincing that going to college matters.” She said overall university enrollments across the nation are decreasing as students grapple with tuition costs, COVID and its isolating aftershocks, and a different perspective on higher education. Universities are no longer a place where students come to learn what they couldn’t learn elsewhere—remote learning and the internet have opened a fissure in that idea that will never close. Instead of that educational transaction, being at a university must include building community and creating in-person experiences only available on campus. Macc said that the Epicenter helps steer the campus experience toward the future, with design goals to create a base of operations for two changemaking organizations and a living and learning home for 778 students. The three-story commercial portion of the building, known as the “Changemaker Pavilion”, includes office space for The Center for Business, Health, and Prosperity (second floor) and the Sorenson Impact Institute (third floor). While each organization has a different focus, both are firmly invested in helping students access and create the resources needed to change the world. Each entity works hand-in-hand as owners of the Epicenter to host events and “create a full spectrum of ways for students to get involved,” said Chad Salvadore, Chief Financial Officer for the Sorenson Impact Institute. “We’re dialing in the programming to energize the student body,” said Salvadore of the work done at the Epicenter. With over 60 majors represented among the 778 students who live there, he said that the diversity of students is less a reflection of their chosen major and more a desire to reside in a space built for students to work their entrepreneurial muscles. “Living here is a mindset—you can engage across many different paths you choose.”

Goal!

By Brad Fullmer • October 1, 2025
Front view of the bleachers, press box, and suites. (photos courtesy SIRQ Construction)

Four Decades of Transformation

By Brad Fullmer • October 1, 2025
Over the course of its 40-year history in Utah, WSP's Salt Lake office—originally founded as Parsons Brinckerhoff in 1985—has morphed from primarily a transportation design firm to one that successfully operates in multiple civil engineering markets. The results of WSP's transformation the past decade into a more diverse outfit speak for themselves, with the 128-person Salt Lake office (with locations in Cottonwood Heights and South Jordan) posting three consecutive years of revenues over $50 million, including a record $70.1 million in 2023, and a robust $59.9 million in 2024—good for the No. 2 ranking in UC+D's 2025 Top Utah Engineering Firms rankings.

Good Career? Start Here

By Taylor Larsen • October 1, 2025
Lucio Gallegos vividly remembers the workforce development meetings he attended during his time at Ogden-Weber Tech. These career and technical education (CTE) discussions consistently focused on one thing: young people were not entering construction, and the industry needed a new approach to attract them. Gallegos recalled one member of the workforce development team, a training director with a prominent general contractor, saying, “We have been trying this for over 10 years, screw it, we’re just gonna hire them.” The Long Road Those conversations occurred nearly 10 years ago, and workforce development concerns continue to permeate the industry. The National Center for Construction Education & Research estimates that 41% of the construction workforce will retire by 2031, leading to potential gaps in skill and safety and decreases in productivity and project quality. While stakeholders have aligned on the overall goal of providing students a foundation for future success through career development, the means to achieve the ends were seemingly at odds. High schools, trade schools, colleges, and private industry took different paths to achieve their goals, with some moving in opposite directions. “I’m gonna be honest with you,” Gallegos recalled one school administrator saying, “If I promote what you’re telling me to get them over to the tech college, I lose head count. And then I lose teachers. I can’t have a school without teachers.” Jobs that took away student learning experiences, according to federal guidelines and child labor laws, made the idea a non-starter. However, after years of lobbying the Utah Legislature for a compromise between industry and education, H.B. 055, passed in 2023, provided a catalytic change in how younger people can engage with construction and other industries. High school students could participate if they were involved in a school-sponsored work experience and career exploration program. Private industry finally had the compromise it wanted. It was time to act. Big-D Charts New Path Gallegos, now the Workforce Development Manager from Big-D, joined the company in 2023 with the express purpose of creating a program that fit within the new guidelines. Gallegos said he sees career development through the lens of the immigrant experience, one he knows personally as a Mexican immigrant with a father who worked in commercial construction. “I was 9 years old and busting pins out of concrete forms with a hammer that was as big as I was,” he laughed. “I’ve got the cliché immigrant story.” That story has a theme familiar to many immigrant families, he said, one where parents say, “I want my kids not to have to work as hard as I do. I want them in school.” Add to that, it’s a law—children must attend school. Gallegos was unfazed by those obstacles. As he began planning how Big-D’s internship program would operate, he knew that engagement had to start at the elementary school level and build on personal relationships between private industry, school administrators, students, and their families to succeed. “We want to be the solution, not the obstacle to get into this industry,” said Gallegos. So Big-D removed the barriers. Students can still attend school, work towards graduation, and be available in the afternoon for sports, extracurricular activities, and the high school experience. But working was another significant part of the immigrant experience, Gallegos said, and internships needed to be paid to alleviate the family concerns. “We asked what we would pay somebody fresh out of high school who worked at Big-D,” Gallegos said. Interns have earned those same wages ever since.

It's A Knockout

By Brad Fullmer • October 1, 2025
On January 2, 1957, Gene Fullmer, a scrappy, underdog fighter from West Jordan stunned the boxing world with a 15-round unanimous decision over the legendary Sugar Ray Robinson at New York’s fabled Madison Square Garden. Fullmer captured the world middleweight championship and established himself as one of the best pound-for-pound boxers during the late 50s and early 60s. Since then, the Fullmer name has been synonymous with boxing in Utah, with brothers Gene, Jay, and Don establishing the Fullmer Brothers Boxing Gym in 1978, and offering free boxing instruction and life mentoring to thousands of youths—carrying on a tradition they learned from their trainer, Marv Jenson. Their legacy of community giving will live on in the new Fullmer Legacy Center in South Jordan, a 16,500-SF facility that will serve as a permanent home to the boxing gym—after years of bouncing around to various temporary facilities—along with a museum, snack bar, and gift shop. “The Fullmers are the first family of boxing in the state of Utah—that’s well understood,” said Dave Butterfield, a founding board member of the Fullmer Legacy Foundation. Butterfield served as Chairman of the Board from June 2016 to early 2025 and was influential in helping raise money—nearly $6 million via donations to date, which includes $2 million from the Utah Legislature. Project Driven by Vision to Find a Permanent Home for Fullmer Brothers Gym It was Jay Fullmer who led the charge to teach boxing in the community. By 1978, the Fullmer Brothers Boxing Gym had formally opened at the Butterfield farm chicken coop in South Jordan, recalled Larry Fullmer, Don’s oldest son and the man who spearheaded the efforts for the Fullmer Legacy Center. From there, Larry said the facility moved to Riverton Elementary, an old church house in West Jordan, a sugar factory, a former fire station, and the Salt Lake County Equestrian Park in South Jordan, where it had resided since 2011. When they got word that Salt Lake County planned to transfer ownership of the park to Utah State University, Fullmer knew they needed to find a long-term home for the boxing gym. Fullmer met with Butterfield and Robert Behunin—who at the time was a Vice President with Utah State University—in 2016 and told them he just wanted a “tin shed of our own” for boxing. Behunin countered by saying, “If you want people to donate money, you need something better than a tin shed!” They quickly formed the Fullmer Legacy Foundation (FLF), and by 2018, the wheels were in motion on a building. Doc Murdock, a long-time trainer at the gym, connected Larry with his former roommate at Brigham Young University, Vern Latham, who is a Principal at Salt Lake-based VCBO Architecture. VCBO offered pro-bono services initially while helping FLF put together an RFP, while North Salt-based Gramoll Construction provided value engineering and other services in an effort to get the project launched. Larry expressed sheer gratitude for the contributions of both firms in helping make the project a reality, especially for many generous donations from various foundations and individuals. “[VCBO] believed in us early on and did our first phase of planning at no charge—they have been amazing and so professional to work with,” said Larry. “Gramoll helped us get the budget done as tight as it could be. This project had the absolute tightest budget. We met weekly with architects and the general contractor to see the progress—I’ve never seen such an amazing process. Construction started in November ’23, and every time I would come to the jobsite in the first six months, I’d get emotional.” “We leaned on our relationships with contractors for flooring, ceiling, tiles, donated furniture and got deep discounts and a lot of in-kind donations,” said Phil Haderlie, Principal-in-Charge for VCBO. “To me, the story of this project is the grassroots effort of people seeing the value—this is something that came from their heart. It will have a long-lasting impact on the community.”

Significant Buzz

By Brad Fullmer • October 1, 2025
The first season is in the books for the Salt Lake Bees in its spectacular new home—the Ballpark at America First Square, the exciting new heart of Downtown Daybreak and certainly one of the premier Triple-A stadiums in the country. "It's a really cool stadium—the field looks so good!" gushed Eric Barton, Project Director for Salt Lake-based Okland Construction, while surveying the spacious 280,000 SF, 6,500-seat (8,000 capacity) ballpark. Barton said his team faced an extremely difficult construction schedule with the mandate the project had to be sufficiently ready for Opening Day 2025 on April 8, less than 18 months after the formal October 20, 2023, groundbreaking. Barton said Okland knew it was going to be a grind, with long hours and tight windows to get various milestones accomplished. "When we bid this to our trade partners, we had them bid it with the expectation of it being six days a week," he said. "We want not only your best guys, but you have to be adaptable to the plan. It was gangbusters from the start.” Up to 300 workers were onsite during peak construction activity, requiring meticulous coordination throughout. Okland even brought in Fred Strasser, a legendary project director who came out of retirement to shepherd the project through. "Fred is the genius behind getting this whole thing done," said Barton. The project was designed by Salt Lake-based HOK, who worked closely with the owner, Sandy-based Larry H. Miller Real Estate (LHMRE) and Miller Sports + Entertainment (MSE) to bring about a project that would add even more buzz to its wildly popular, 4,000-acre master planned Daybreak development in South Jordan, making it a true entertainment destination. The design weaves together best-in-class baseball experiences with year-round public amenities, including a recently opened Megaplex theater, a performing arts center, a large amphitheater, along with retail, restaurants, and apartments, with buildout continuing through 2027. Walking paths and open spaces create natural connections between The Ballpark and the surrounding neighborhood, making the area an iconic community asset and a true sports and entertainment district. Downtown Daybreak is slated to host more than 200 annual events—including the Bees’ 75-game regular season. Supporting this entertainment destination, the venue’s prominent location just off the Mountain View Corridor freeway makes it highly visible to passing traffic while providing easy access. The stadium is also connected to multiple transportation options, easily reached by walking, biking or light rail across the Wasatch Front, and by car from the new freeway corridor. The Ballpark site drops 20 feet from the loading dock to the plaza, managed through terraced spaces that echo the region’s mining heritage. Though the slope stays gentle at under 5%, carefully placed stairs and planters make walking comfortable while honoring the industrial past. The center field main entrance connects to light rail, while a formal plaza at home plate serves as a second entrance, primarily for VIP access. The street design follows Daybreak’s established standards for lighting and tree spacing. Bike racks at the light rail station and plaza make cycling to games convenient. Utah’s Landscape Shapes Design The Wasatch Mountains, visible from every angle of the ballpark, directly influenced the ballpark's design. Throughout the venue, carefully planned viewpoints frame these mountain vistas. The structure resembles this mountainous setting in its form, transitioning from solid brick and concrete at its base to lighter materials—metal and expansive glass—as it ascends. Working with Kansas City-based architectural metal fabricator Zahner, HOK and MSE created a distinctive facade using perforated metal panels that suggest Utah mountain peak silhouettes from Ben Lomond Peak in Weber County to Mt. Nebo, the southernmost and highest mountain in the Wasatch Range of Utah. These panels transform into a glowing display at night, serving as a lantern on The Ballpark’s ‘front porch’ and welcoming visitors. This connection to Utah’s landscape flows throughout the site. Angular planters guide visitors along pathways, while public spaces are arranged in terraces that echo the mountainside. The copper colors and stepped surfaces of the nearby Kennecott Mine inspired the ballpark’s materials and layout. Inside, the decor features warm copper, gold and honey tones, with textured materials that blend the natural landscape with the Salt Lake Bees’ team colors.

Firms Making Moves

By Brad Fullmer • October 1, 2025
Horrocks CEO Bryan Foote (left) shakes hands with Matt Hirst, former President/CEO of CRS Engineering & Survey. Horrocks acquired CRS a year ago in a move that has proven to be a seamless fit for more than 60 CRS employees.

Q&A with Nathan Goodrich

By UC&D • August 1, 2025
Nathan Goodrich