Casting call, party in South Salt Lake for hopeful models

Utahns are invited to be the state's "next top model" - or just party like one this Saturday. New York-based Elite Model Management - the talent agency featured in the TV hit "America's Next Top Model" - is launching its first scouting-only office in South Salt Lake this week with a huge street party.

A joint venture with Oregon-based Pulse Management, the SoSaLa office, 2150 S. Main St., will hold a casting call today at 5 p.m. for would-be models. Finalists will be judged by Elite and Pulse execs during the grand opening party on Saturday, 7 p.m. to 1 a.m. One girl will be named "Utah's Next Top Model."

Elite picked Utah for the new office because the Beehive State is a "gold mine" for modeling talent, New York recruiting director Roman Young has said.

Tickets to the party, to be held just south of 2100 South on Main Street, cost $12 at the door or $6 in advance at 24tix.com. The event also features a groundbreaking ceremony for the surrounding $500 million Market Station development, Salt Lake City's own international runway star Ali Stephens, base-jumping, break dancing and a skateboarding demo by X-games veteran Randy Marino.

- Rosemary Winters