SALT LAKE CITY, Utah (ABC4) – A week after the Salt Lake Bees announced they would be leaving downtown Salt Lake City and moving to a new home in Daybreak, a public-private partnership will begin investing $100 million into the Ballpark neighborhood.

During her State of the City address on Tuesday, Jan. 24, Salt Lake City Mayor Erin Mendenhall announced the investment led by Salt Lake Bees’ owner, the Larry H. Miller Company, and joined by Zion’s Bank, Intermountain Health, and Salt Lake City.

Mendenhall did not say during her address how exactly the $100 million would be used in the Ballpark area, however, she did say it will be used to help realize the vision of the Ballpark Next competition and bring human-centered programs and opportunities to the neighborhood.

“There has never been an investment like this in our city before,” Mendenhall said. “This transformative commitment of human-centered programs and opportunity will bring tremendous leverage to the concepts being generated right now in the city’s Ballpark Next competition. Investments could include programs like affordable early childhood education, workforce training, building economic stability, recreation, and so much more.”

During her address, Mendenhall said city officials have “exciting ideas” of how to utilize the 13-and-a-half acre lot that serves as the current site for Smith’s Ballpark, including building on existing Ballpark Station Area plans approved last November. Her goal is to turn the lot into a property the community can use year-round and can serve to bring the neighborhood together.

The city has also opened up to public comment, launching Ballpark Next, a cash-prize competition that invites the community to share their vision of the property. The $100 million investment will serve as funding toward the Ballpark Next and the city vision for the area.

Changes to the 1300 South Ballpark area are already underway, according to Mendenhall. As part of the Ballpark Station Area plan, a new crosswalk is being designed on 1300 South to help pedestrian safety and traffic analysis has begun to explore ways roads can be reconfigured for traffic flow. In addition, a team has reportedly been assembled to review zoning changes in the area.