An environmental conservation group and two dozen outdoor recreation businesses which include Patagonia, REI, and The North Face, announced that they would boycott the Outdoor Retailer trade show if it’s moved from Denver back to Salt Lake City, according to a report.
The Conservation Alliance, comprised of more than 270 companies, announced in a press release that Emerald X, the publicly-traded company that owns Outdoor Retailer, is considering moving the event despite industry objections.
“Our position on the location of the Outdoor Retailer trade show remains clear and unchanged: The show belongs in a state whose top officials value and seek to protect public lands,” Patagonia CEO Ryan Gellert said.
Cox requested to return to Salt Lake City in the past year, saying it was a good location for economic growth in both Utah and outdoor retailers.
The outdoor industry took a stand after Utah lawmakers asked former President Donald Trump in February 2017 to repeal the newly-designated Bears Ears National Monument. Thirty outdoor companies objected, and the Outdoor Retailer show announced it would move from its longtime home in Salt Lake City to Denver.
The bi-annual Outdoor Retailer show, which generates tens of millions of dollars in local economic impact, is now a smaller event primarily due to the pandemic. In addition, Denver‘s contract with Emerald X expires after this summer’s show. The Snow Show is scheduled for January 26-28, and The Summer Show for June 9-11 in Denver.
Emerald X sent a survey earlier this year to the show’s participants asking about a possible relocation to several cities, including Salt Lake City, Anaheim, California, Houston, Las Vegas, and Orlando, Florida.
Three of Colorado’s top officials utilized the opportunity on Monday to announce that the Centennial State is the legitimate home to the trade show.
Colorado’s outdoor recreation industry is crucial to our economy and our way of life. Many of the industry’s major brands call Colorado home, and rightfully so, we take pride in caring for our public lands and supporting our tribes while taking bold climate action and remaining business-friendly,” said a joint statement from Gov. Jared Polis and U.S. Sens. Michael Bennet and John Hickenlooper.
The announcement from the outdoor recreation industry and its top leaders underscores that the Outdoor Retailer Show belongs in Colorado.
I feel that it’s imperative to highlight the historical significance of the Outdoor Retailer trade show in providing a platform for the outdoor industry. The potential move to Salt Lake City has sparked a heated debate, underscoring the need for the show to reflect conservation and public land values.