While Salt Lake City’s downtown is rising, state, federal and city leaders word of choice for West Valley City's new redevelopment plans was "vibrant" in describing the city center project at a special groundbreaking ceremony today.---

“The heavens are weeping with joy now that we’ve got to this moment,” said West Valley City Mayor Mike Winder, joking about the torrential downpour outside the tent enclosing the press conference that was crowded with local business leaders, politicos and members of the media. Winder unveiled the name of the long-awaited multi-use city center development for Utah’s second largest city to be Fairbourne Station. The name comes from an early Mormon pioneer Joseph Fairbourne who established a blacksmith station in the early 1800s right at the site of the new four-block development to be located across from the Valley Fair Mall at 3600 S. Constitution Boulevard.

Construction on the development will begin in the spring of next year and is expected to include a four-star luxury hotel, a four-acre green-space park, and 200,000 square feet of office space, 1,000 residences and is expected to bring 2,000 jobs to the area.

The ceremonial groundbreaking was heralded as a triumph by members of West Valley City government, Rep. Jim Matheson, D-Utah, Rep. Jason Chaffetz, R-Utah as well as Governor Gary Herbert who gave the closing remarks in the ceremony who noted the state’s investment in area developments. “We’ve put taxpayer dollars into construction here to help [West Valley City] be the best they can be,” Herbert said. “West Valley City is an example of vibrancy and growth.”