Keith Stepan, director of Utah's Division of Facilities Construction Management, would not divulge the names of all the companies. But he did confirm that the church and another major developer - Hamilton Partners - are interested.

The idea of a global trade center is not new; Gov. Olene Walker floated the idea before she left office. But interest from two such high-profile developers could accelerate the project.

"There's significant interest [among developers] and I'm confident we'll be in a position to have a first class world trade center," said Jack Sunderlage, a technology executive and leader of the Utah World Trade Center Committee, a public/private partnership.

Gov. Jon Huntsman Jr., who has made international business a priority in his administration, championed the idea of a world trade center last month at a business conference. The state would not fund a center but would probably locate some of its international offices in the high-rise, along with other public and private organizations engaged in global commerce.

Best known for the twin towers that fell after the terrorist attacks of Sept. 11, 2001, the 60 U.S. centers affiliated with the World Trade Centers Association are in cities as large as Chicago and as small as Bridgeport, Conn. Worldwide, there are nearly 300 world trade centers in about 100 countries.

"If we were to establish a world trade center, it would put us on the map among people in other countries who are involved in international trade," Sunderlage said.

Several public and private entities have expressed interest in relocating to a Salt Lake City-based World Trade Center, Sunderlage said. He declined to be specific. He did say that the Utah World Trade Center Committee plans to select a developer to either build a new trade center or modify an existing building by the end of the year.

"This could move along really quickly," he said.

The LDS Church did not return calls seeking comment.

Hamilton Partners, which hopes to begin construction on a high-rise on Salt Lake City's Main Street by fall, could easily turn its building into Utah's first World Trade Center, company executive Bruce Bingham said.

"It would be a prestigious opportunity," he said.

lesley@sltrib.com