Temple Construction Progress Update
(current as of 7/25/17)
NOTE: There
will be a total of 182 operating
temples once all of those under construction or announced are dedicated. Of
those, we currently have 156 temples in operation; 1 other will be dedicated next month
(after the traditional July recess for the General Authorities); 2 more
have construction concluding and a dedication scheduled for later this
year; 9 are in various
stages of construction; 1 other has construction pending
(groundbreaking was last year), and earnest work will hopefully start on that
within the next month or so); 1 has
a groundbreaking scheduled (set for later this year); 2 are
undergoing renovation (with completion anticipated next year); another 4 have a renovation closure date set
for later this year, with 5 others
set to close early next year (the actual dates will be set closer to the time);
the remaining 12 are announced (with either a site announcement
or groundbreaking pending).
NOTE ON FUTURE TEMPLES: Elder Larry Y. Wilson, who serves as the
Executive Director of the Temple Department, indicated in a recent interview
that the Church has around 85 temple sites that are under active consideration
for an announcement within the next 15 years or so. If that is true, then that
would take the number of temples in any phase to just under 270 by 2032. And if
that is true, then whether or not the Church makes it an official goal to do
so, it is more than likely that there could be a minimum of 200 temples
dedicated by or before the Church’s 200th anniversary on April 6,
2030, whether or not the Church makes that an official goal. All it would take
to do so is 18 more being announced, and each of them, along with the 26 either
under construction or announced, to be completed within the next 12 years and 9
months, which is doable if 3 or 4 are dedicated per year between now and then.
As there are 3 others scheduled for dedication before the end of this year,
with 5 set for next year, and up to 5 the year following, the Church seems to
be on track for that. Subsequent versions of this report will continue to share
developments as they occur.
Preparing for dedication:
157. Tucson
Arizona Temple: Preparing for dedication, which is scheduled for Sunday August 13, 2017.
Construction nearing completion; dedication scheduled:
158. Meridian
Idaho Temple: Interior finish work underway; sod laid and trees planted; dedication
scheduled for Sunday November 19, 2017.
159. Cedar
City Utah Temple: Installing art glass; laying sod; dedication
scheduled for Sunday December 10, 2017.
Under Construction (completion anticipated within the next 1-2 years):
160. Rome Italy Temple:
Interior and exterior work progressing; installing art glass windows; completion
anticipated sometime during mid-2018.
161. Kinshasa Democratic
Republic of the Congo Temple: Exterior brickwork completed; attaching purlins
to roof trusses and strengthening truss connectors; completion anticipated
sometime during mid-to-late 2018.
162. Barranquilla
Colombia Temple: Stone cladding underway on the south wall; completion
anticipated sometime during late 2018.
163. Durban South Africa
Temple: Applying waterproofing membrane to temple exterior walls; installing
basement stairs; laying brick at missionary housing; top of elevator shaft
poured; completion anticipated sometime during late 2018.
164. Concepcion Chile
Temple: Cladding nearly complete on north and south walls; progressing around
base of steeple; completion anticipated
sometime during late 2018-early
2019.
Under construction, completion
anticipated within the next 2-3 years:
165. Fortaleza Brazil
Temple: Tower base walls poured; scaffolding removed; completion anticipated
sometime during early-to-mid 2019.
166. Rio de Janeiro Brazil Temple: Preparing
to pour footings for foundation; surrounding property being cleared and graded;
completion anticipated sometime during mid-2019.
NOTE: In the midst of other changes
that have been needed for this report, I also took another look at the question
of whether this temple or the Winnipeg Manitoba Temple might be finished first.
In doing so, I discovered that until formal construction begins in Winnipeg and
that process verifies that Winnipeg will be finished first, it would be wiser
to reverse them again.
167.
Lisbon Portugal Temple: Pouring temple foundation walls; preparing
meetinghouse for exterior cladding; completion
anticipated sometime during late 2019.
NOTE: Until
construction is officially underway on the Winnipeg Manitoba temple, I have felt
it wise to renumber this temple. As soon as that happens and once more is known
about its progress, I will reorder this temple again.
168. Arequipa Peru Temple: Foundation walls
poured; completion anticipated sometime during late 2019-early 2020.
NOTE: As
with the Lisbon temple, I have reordered this temple until construction is
officially underway on the Winnipeg temple. Based on how quickly that temple
might progress, I will make any future adjustments that are needed.
Construction pending
(anticipated to start anytime):
169. Winnipeg
Manitoba Temple: Groundbreaking held Saturday December 3, 2016; awaiting full-scale
operations; acquiring building permits; completion anticipated sometime during mid-2019.
NOTE: Until construction officially commences on this temple, it has
felt like a good idea to change its number. Once work is actually underway, I
will change the number to match its estimated completion. I still am convinced
that this temple will not be dedicated until after the dedication of the Rio
temple, but time will tell.
Groundbreaking scheduled:
170. Port-au-Prince
Haiti Temple: Preparing for groundbreaking ceremony,
which is scheduled for Saturday October
28, 2017; dedication may follow sometime during mid-to-late 2020.
NOTE: The First Presidency made the
groundbreaking announcement for this temple on July 13, 2017, noting that Elder
Walter F. Gonzalez, who presides over the Caribbean area, will preside at this
groundbreaking. In the interim, I found out that this temple will be much
smaller than its other Caribbean counterpart, so it seems reasonable to assume
that this temple could have a dedication prior to the end of 2020. As with
everything else, I am keeping an eye out for developments and will pass along
any updates as I receive them.
Undergoing Renovation (rededication anticipated within the next year or
so):
20. Jordan River Utah
Temple: Closed for renovation; rededication anticipated sometime during mid-2018.
NOTE: Though this temple’s
renovation has been ongoing since its closure in February 2016, and while the
rededication had been anticipated at some point during 2017, as the renovation
process has continued, those estimates have been altered again and again, until
this most recent revision of that time-frame. This event could happen at any
point in the middle of the year, or it could be pushed back again. More
information will come as more is known.
41. Frankfurt Germany
Temple: Closed for renovation; baptismal font support walls poured in basement
addition; rededication anticipated sometime during mid-2018.
NOTE: This temple, closed since
September of 2015, was also anticipated to be completed and rededicated at some
point prior to the end of 2017. As with the Jordan River temple, that
completion estimate has been pushed back repeatedly. Until more is known, it is
anyone’s guess when this rededication might happen. I will pass along any
updates as I receive them.
Renovations Scheduled (official
closure dates announced):
80. Memphis Tennessee Temple: Scheduled to close
for renovation on September 29, 2017; rededication may take place sometime
during early-to-mid 2019.
NOTE: While this temple is a comparatively smaller one (from the
Hinckley era), I also learned on July 5 that this renovation will be altering
both the exterior and interior appearance of the temple. Those plans may or may
not involve an expansion. The opinions on what will happen in that regard are
so different that it will take time to settle the question. Once more is known,
I will pass that along.
18. Tokyo Japan Temple: Scheduled to close for
renovation on September 29, 2017; rededication may take place sometime during
early-to-mid 2020.
NOTE: This temple, constructed as part of President Kimball’s smaller
temple design, is anticipated to be rededicated sometime in 2020. If the news
release about this renovation is any indication, no expansion is in the works. Adjustments
will be made as the process gets underway. For now, I wanted to also note that
the stated purpose for this renovation is primarily to upgrade electrical and
mechanical systems and bring the temple up-to-code. With that in mind, I also
learned in early July that the completion of this temple will most likely be
sooner than I originally thought, as it is comparatively smaller.
95. Oklahoma City Oklahoma Temple: Scheduled to
close for renovation on October 14, 2017; rededication may take place sometime
during early-to-mid 2019.
NOTE: In an earlier version of this report,
I had indicated that an expansion of this temple didn’t seem likely, as
information available to me at that time pointed to the current temple taking
up the entire area of the lot. On July 18, I learned I might be getting this
temple and Memphis confused. I am trying to iron all of that out, and will pass
along whatever I find out. Until more is known, I will not be altering my
completion estimate.
112. Asuncion Paraguay Temple: Scheduled to close
for renovation on October 29, 2017; rededication may take place sometime during
early-to-mid 2019.
NOTE: As noted in previous versions of this
report, I had the closure date for this temple off by a month. I regret that
misinformation. In the meantime, I did some study on whether or not this temple
might be expanded. On July 16, I found that this temple may have room to
expand. Whether or not expansion will happen, until more is known, I have felt
it wiser to stick to my completion estimate.
Temples that have a renovation
closure announced, but no official date made known yet:
68. Raleigh North Carolina Temple: Scheduled to
close for renovation in January 2018; rededication may take place sometime
during mid-to-late 2019.
NOTE: On July 16, while studying scheduled renovations, I learned two
things: this temple is on a large enough plot of land that expansion may be
possible and even feasible. That said, the Saints in North Carolina (according
to one of my contacts) were told that an expansion is not in the renovation
plans for this temple. It is possible but perhaps unlikely. More to come once
more is known, including any change of the completion estimate.
94. Baton Rouge Louisiana Temple: Scheduled to
close for renovation in February 2018; rededication may take place sometime
during mid-to-late 2019.
NOTE: My study on this temple (which I conducted on July 16) indicates
that there may be room on this temple lot to expand the edifice. The question
is whether or not the Church will choose to do so. I will keep an eye on
developments and pass things along as I learn of them. For now, the question
cannot be settled.
13. Oakland California Temple: Scheduled to
close for renovation in February 2018; rededication may take place sometime during
mid-to-late 2019.
NOTE: This renovation and the one below were announced in February of
2017. In the interim, the Church has scheduled 7 other renovations around those
two. This temple is older, so the renovation will likely take longer. But I am
not ruling out other possibilities. We also know that the primary purpose of
this renovation is to upgrade mechanical and electrical systems and bring them
up to code. So I don’t think expansion is in the plans for this temple.
16. Washington D. C. Temple: Scheduled to close
for renovation in March 2018; rededication may take place sometime during mid-to-late
2020.
NOTE: This is another older temple where the purpose of the renovation
is to upgrade electrical and mechanical systems and bring them up to code. An
expansion doesn’t seem likely. It is a larger temple, so the renovation will
likely take longer. That reinforces the idea that the completion timeframe
above will be spot on.
7. Mesa Arizona Temple: Scheduled to close for
renovation in May 2018; rededication may take place sometime during mid-to-late
2020.
NOTE: The purpose of this renovation is to upgrade electrical and
mechanical systems and bring them up to code. This temple has been renovated
before, which reinforces the idea that there may be less to update here than
for Washington DC. Until more is known, it is my feeling that this temple will
likely be rededicated first.
NOTE ON FUTURE GROUNDBREAKINGS: During
the month of July, I revised the order in which temples in this section were
listed. About a week after doing so, I found out that I needed to revise and
rethink that order again. The current order reflects the latest information I
have (as of the late night hours of July 18). I should also note that the
timing of any temple event is up to the Lord (based on conditions in each
area), so these estimates should not in any way be taken as gospel or official
until they are confirmed or denied by those who have the authorization to do
so.
Announced:
171. Lima Peru Los Olivos
Temple: Planning and preliminary construction phase; awaiting official site
announcement; groundbreaking could take place sometime during early-to-mid 2018.
NOTE: With the recent news that
preconstruction for this temple began in March 2017, it is not hard to believe
that a groundbreaking could take place in short order once 2018 starts. But as
we also know that the Port-au-Prince Haiti Temple had its groundbreaking
unexpected announced in mid-July (being set for the end of October), that opens
up the possibility that this temple could be another that could either have its
groundbreaking just before that for Port-au-Prince (as there is a precedent for
such things) or within the remaining two months of 2017. If that doesn’t
happen, then this temple will likely be the first to have a groundbreaking
during 2018.
172. Harare Zimbabwe Temple:
Planning phase; awaiting official site announcement; groundbreaking could take
place during early-to-mid 2018.
NOTE: Though nothing has happened
with this temple since Elder Hamilton stated that a site announcement and
groundbreaking would take place in short order at some point prior to the end
of 2017, and though that seemed to provide a sufficient reason to downgrade
this temple to sometime in 2018 or 2019, in reevaluating things in mid-July, I
determined that it would be wiser to move this temple back to this spot. There
is an outside chance that this temple could have a groundbreaking at some point
during the 4 months or so left in 2017, but that doesn’t seem probable.
Anything is possible, though. I will keep an eye out for developments and pass
those along as I find out more, along with any other adjustments.
173. Urdaneta Philippines
Temple: Planning and approval phase; awaiting government approval and
official site announcement; groundbreaking could take place sometime during mid-2018.
NOTE: While previous versions of
this report had downgraded this temple to being among the last of the current
bunch to have a groundbreaking, the end of delays preventing progress on this
temple’s construction mean that a site announcement and groundbreaking may be
simply a matter of time. That being the case, as noted in so many previous
versions of this report, some have speculated a groundbreaking for this temple
may take place prior to the end of 2017. But it seems more likely that it may
wait until around this time. As always, with these being no more than my own
thoughts based on the facts I have right now, they are subject to change as
things develop. I will make any further changes that might be needed as that
becomes necessary.
174. Saratoga Springs Utah:
Planning phase; awaiting official site announcement; groundbreaking may take
place sometime during mid-2018.
NOTE: On July 18, 2017, I learned
some things that convinced me to take another look at the order in which these
announced temples are listed. That more extensive research led me to conclude
that this temple may get started closer to the average time in which Utah
temples have gone from an announcement to a groundbreaking. So I ran those
numbers, which now has me convinced that this temple’s groundbreaking may be
sooner than I had originally projected. This change will be reflected on my
timeline for future temple-related events.
175. Brasilia Brazil Temple:
Planning phase; site inspected by Church engineers on June 21, 2017;
groundbreaking may take place sometime during mid-to-late 2018.
NOTE: As noted above, new
information received on July 18, 2017 led to my rethinking this entire section.
Particularly, I found out that the site inspection is not indicative of an
imminent groundbreaking like I thought it might be. While it is still likely
that this temple will have a groundbreaking prior to the end of 2018, it will
likely be more towards the end of the year than the beginning, contrary to what
I had thought and reported. This seems like a safe change for the moment. If
the Lord surprises us and sets a groundbreaking for this temple sooner than
estimated here, I will move it up on this list at that time.
176. Greater Manila
Philippines Temple: Planning phase; site confirmed; awaiting official name
announcement; groundbreaking may take place sometime during mid-to-late 2018.
NOTE: This is another temple that
has already had a site confirmed, but that will likely not have a
groundbreaking as soon as I had thought and asserted that would happen. Having
been advised that temples announced in April 2017 might have at least a year
between the site announcement and the groundbreaking, this seems to be a safe
and sound adjustment. As always, once
the Lord or the leaders of His Church reveal more about any temple, that new
information will be reflected on future reports. For now, that is an update
from what I have previously reported. And we are also still waiting to see if
and when a more official name might be announced for this temple. I will report
on all developments as I become aware of them.
177. Pocatello Idaho:
Planning phase; awaiting site confirmation; groundbreaking may take place
sometime during early 2019.
NOTE: While it is true that temples
in the “Mormon corridor” of Idaho, Utah and Arizona generally get started well
in advance of their international counterparts, I learned on July 18, 2017 that
some temples on this list needed to be moved (some up, and some down). I also
learned that Idaho temples have kept to a general average time-frame from
announcement to groundbreaking, and by changing the estimate for this temple,
it corresponds more fully to that average.
178. Nairobi Kenya Temple:
Planning phase; awaiting official site announcement; media event held June 14,
2017; groundbreaking may take place sometime during early 2019.
NOTE: As I have considered the
media event held last month, I have determined it wiser to assume that a
groundbreaking for this temple will happen sooner rather than later. It seems
apparent now that this temple will not be the last of those currently announced
to have a groundbreaking, as I had originally thought and stated. So it seems
wise to make that adjustment. As always, once more information is available, I
will go from there.
179. Bangkok Thailand
Temple: Planning phase; awaiting official site announcement; groundbreaking may
take place during mid-2019.
NOTE: If member speculation is confirmed
within the next year or so (that a building housing Church offices will be
reconstructed and repurposed into an edifice housing not just those offices,
but also a meetinghouse and the temple as well), then formal construction
efforts could begin sooner than indicated here. Until more is known, I am
trying to be conservative in my estimates. I would not be surprised in the
least if this temple’s groundbreaking happens sooner or later than indicated
here.
180. Abidjan Ivory
Coast Temple: Planning phase; awaiting official site announcement;
groundbreaking may take place sometime during mid-to-late 2019.
NOTE: With the massive growth that
the Church has experienced in the Ivory Coast, some have speculated that the
Ivory Coast could get one or two additional temples within the next 15 years.
For this first one, this adjustment feels appropriate. Further adjustments will
be made once more is known.
181. Quito Ecuador
Temple: Planning phase; awaiting official site announcement; groundbreaking may
take place during mid-to-late 2019.
NOTE: Despite the 14-year wait
between the announcement and groundbreaking for Ecuador’s first temple, this
one for the Ecuadoran capital is not anticipated to have nearly as long a wait.
With other adjustments that have been made, this seems appropriate. Further
adjustments will be made once more is known.
182. Belem Brazil Temple:
Planning phase; awaiting official site announcement; groundbreaking may take
place during late 2019-early 2020.
NOTE: Since we have a site
essentially confirmed for the other Brazilian temple above, even though this
one was announced a year prior to that one, it is more than likely that we will
not see a groundbreaking for this Belem temple until a year or so after the one
for Brasilia. If the estimates for all other temples are anywhere close (which
they may or may not be), that would make this temple the last of the current
bunch to be dedicated. But this is 2 or 3 years out, so changes are always
possible within that time depending on what develops between now and then.
ADDITIONAL GENERAL NOTE: Temple
announcements within the last three years have come during the April General
Conference. They may happen at any time the First Presidency feels inspired to
make them, but that has been the pattern since 2015. Also, as noted above,
Elder Larry Y. Wilson said in an interview recently that 85 or more temple
sites are under consideration for an announcement within the next 15 years. So
we could be entering another unprecedented era of temple announcements and
construction. That is one big reason why I have expanded my list of temples
that may potentially be announced. I also know that sites have been procured for
future temples in Managua Nicaragua (which seems most likely, as it is the
first of the top ten countries with the strongest LDS presence that does not
yet have a temple, and such a temple was proposed by Elder Nelson in 2012), Auckland
New Zealand, Port Moresby Papua New Guinea, Bentonville Arkansas, and Missoula
Montana (which was proposed by Elder Bednar sometime in 2014). I have been told
by many that an official announcement will happen once unit growth and activity
in temples within such areas warrants those announcements. If there have been
any other sites purchased elsewhere, they have not yet been made known. We also
know that several potential temples have been proposed in several locations
around the world by many of our prophets and apostles. The Lord will continue
to inspire such temple announcements as they are needed, and all developments
will continue to be included on subsequent versions of this report.
Key:
Bolded numbers and text denote
temples whose numbers already exists (for renovations), or is certain due to a
scheduled dedication, as well as information that is certain, such as
dedication or groundbreaking dates.
Italicized numbers and
text denote temples whose numbers may change based on the order in
which future dedications and groundbreakings are scheduled.
Underlined numbers and text denote
temples whose numbers may change based on progress towards planning, approval,
and groundbreaking.
Red text highlights changes from the last posted temple
progress report.