Here is a video of Salt Lake City in HD ! Please subscribe :) ! Salt Lake City is the capital and the most populous city of Utah. The name of the city is often shortened to Salt Lake or SLC. With an estimated population of 183,171, the city lies in the Salt Lake City metropolitan area, which has a total estimated population of 1,130,293. Salt Lake City is further situated in a larger urban area known as the Wasatch Front, which has an estimated population of 2,298,915. The city was founded in 1847 as Great Salt Lake City by a group of Mormon pioneers led by their prophet, Brigham Young, who left behind hostility and violence in the Midwestern United States. They extensively irrigated and cultivated the arid valley and faced prosecution from the U.S. government for their practice of polygamy, which was officially discontinued in 1890. Although Salt Lake City is still home to the headquarters of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (LDS, also known as the Mormon Church), less than half the population of Salt Lake City proper is Mormon today. Mining booms and the construction of the first transcontinental railroad initially brought economic growth, and the city was nicknamed the Crossroads of the West. Salt Lake City has since developed a strong outdoor recreation tourist industry based primarily on skiing. Salt Lake City was host to the 2002 Winter Olympics and is the industrial banking center of the United States. The modern economy of Salt Lake City is service-oriented. In the past, nearby steel, mining and railroad operations provided a strong source of income with Silver King Coalition Mines, Geneva Steel, Bingham Canyon Mine, and oil refineries. Today the city's major industries are government, trade, transportation, utilities, and professional and business services. The city is known as the "Crossroads of the West" for its central geography in the western United States. In 2005, it was found the downtown area was experiencing rapid population growth. The number of residential units in the central business district has increased by 80% since 1995, and is forecast to nearly double in the next decade. The City Creek development of the LDS Church will be adding 300 units in its first phase including the 415 ft (126 m) tall City Creek condominium tower. Allen Millo Associates currently has two projects under construction and two more planned. All 200 units have been sold before construction of a seven-story condominium planned by Wood Property. A residential tower is planned for Trolley Square, and this follows the recent completion of the Northgate Apartments and 12-story condominiums at Gateway with two more buildings finished nearby and the Liberty Metro apartments near Library Square. Office vacancy rates are low in the downtown region. In response, two new large buildings are being constructed. The first is eight stories and located in the Gateway District, while the second will be 22 stories high and is currently under construction on Main Street. In addition, the historic Walker Bank Building is currently undergoing major renovations that will enable it to achieve Class A office space status. Construction of the Gateway District, light rail, and planned commuter rail service have supported the revival of downtown.

• published: 29 Nov 2010
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