The Outdoor Retailer trade show, owned by Emerald Expositions, is returning to Salt Lake City, UT in 2023. The show had moved to Denver in 2018 because of Utah’s environmental policies and local political leaders’ support of the shrinking of the Bears Ears and Grand Staircase-Escalante national monuments and other federal land policies.*
“We have a strong relationship with Salt Lake City and a committed partner in Mayor Erin Mendenhall whose values align with ours following tremendous investments in clean energy and a strong commitment to public lands,” said show organizers in a statement. “This proved to be a real turning point in our recent negotiation.”
Outdoor Retailer identified three ways it plans to make changes to the show:
- Committing revenue over the next three years from Outdoor Retailer events in Utah to fund programs to support outdoor recreation and protect public lands;
- Forming a “Business with Purpose” initiative in partnership with Visit Salt Lake to bring the city, county, state, federal officials, public lands, outdoor recreation leaders, and industry stakeholders together for biannual meetings focused on addressing challenges, influencing policy, assisting advocacy efforts, and directing resources into protecting natural and cultural spaces and improving access; and
- Providing increased opportunities for the active outdoor industry, local communities and media to participate in panel discussions, educational activities and volunteer projects.
The statement, signed by Marisa Nicholson, Outdoor Retailer SVP and show director and Jeff Davis, Emerald group vice president, added, “Salt Lake City and County is our hometown, and we’re going back with a commitment to effecting meaningful change. It would be wrong for us to leave the way we did and simply go back as if nothing happened. In reality, leaving after 2017 has not brought the change we had hoped for, so we will push back, not pull back. We firmly believe that staying engaged and collectively contributing to the ongoing discussion, no matter how difficult, is far more constructive.”
Denver’s five-year contract with Emerald, Inc. expires after this summer’s Outdoor Retailer bi-annual show. Prior to moving to Denver in 2018, the twice-yearly show had been held in Salt Lake City for 22 years. Utah’s Governor Spencer Cox tweeted, “This is great news for Utah’s expanding outdoor industry and all those who love getting outside and experiencing the state’s natural beauty. We look forward to welcoming Outdoor Retailer back to Salt Lake City.”
Emerald’s decision to return to Salt Lake City comes over the objections of two influential outdoor industry groups, the Conservation Alliance and Outdoor Alliance.
In a January 4, 2022 letter to Cox, the groups’ executive directors cautioned the state against filing its threatened lawsuit aimed at reversing President Biden’s October 2021 decision restoring the boundaries of two Utah monuments that had been slashed by during President Trump’s administration. “For 20 years, Utah was a popular location for Outdoor Retailer and many in our industry would love to see the show return to Salt Lake City,” wrote executives Adam Kramer and Brady Robinson in the letter. “However, it would run contrary to the outdoor industry’s values to return the show to a state that is openly hostile to public lands and waters.”
Without an agreement from Utah to not litigate against the monuments, the groups charged they would call on their members to boycott the show if it were held in Utah, even at the risk of undermining the event’s viability. The position was reaffirmed last month in a joint statement to Emerald from 24 outdoor companies that said they would not come to a show in Utah. The group included Patagonia, REI and The North Face.
The full statement from Outdoor Retailer follows:
We’re Moving Back to Salt Lake City
Since 1982, Outdoor Retailer has brought the outdoor industry together for commerce, to share ideas, and to provide an experience that has grown into more than a trade show. Our community has become family, and for the past five years, we’ve held our biannual gatherings in Denver. As our contract nears its natural end after 2022, we’ve been exploring our options and conferring with the industry to map our next steps.
After much deliberation and input from all sides, we’ve decided the best move for Outdoor Retailer is to return to our basecamp. We’re heading back to Salt Lake City and County to the place we grew up and where our industry matured into the dynamic and powerful community it is today. Moving forward, Outdoor Retailer will bring the community together in January and June at the Calvin L. Rampton Salt Palace Convention Center. We have a strong relationship with Salt Lake City and a committed partner in Mayor Erin Mendenhall, whose values align with ours following tremendous investments in clean energy and a strong commitment to public lands. This proved to be a real turning point in our recent negotiations.
A Commitment to Change
Salt Lake City and County is our hometown, and we’re going back with a commitment to effecting meaningful change. It would be wrong for us to leave the way we did and simply go back as if nothing happened. In reality, leaving after 2017 has not brought the change we had hoped for, so we will push back, not pull back. We firmly believe that staying engaged and collectively contributing to the ongoing discussion, no matter how difficult, is far more constructive.
We are the first to admit significant work is required to achieve change, so we are dedicating resources to making progress. To start, we are:
- Committing revenue over the next three years from Outdoor Retailer events in Utah to fund programs to support outdoor recreation and protect public lands;
- Forming the Business with Purpose initiative in partnership with Visit Salt Lake to bring city, county, state and federal officials, public lands and outdoor recreation leaders, and industry stakeholders together for biannual meetings focused on addressing challenges, influencing policy, assisting advocacy efforts, and directing resources into protecting natural and cultural spaces and improving access; and
- Providing increased opportunities for the industry, local communities, and media to participate in panel discussions, educational activities, and volunteer projects.
New Experiences
We share your desire to build a stronger industry, and we are working to provide valuable experiences in Salt Lake City and County for you to effectively and efficiently contribute to the sustainable growth of your business.
As such, we are redefining Outdoor Retailer to meet the needs of the growing outdoor recreation economy, adding channels for the industry to interact directly with consumers and conduct commerce with buyers year-round. We’re moving beyond the walls of a convention center to present unique opportunities for commerce, storytelling, advocacy, knowledge and celebration. We are excited to unveil our plans at this summer’s show.
Competition with Cooperation
Outdoor Retailer began 40 years ago with a group of adventurers who loved nature and created gear to make it more fun. Today, we’re a passionate community actively championing causes and advocating for people and our planet. We come together to collaborate, laud achievements, and embrace diverse perspectives. In the booths and aisles, each of us has made it a goal to transcend an individual future – our work is grounded in a desire to improve the outdoor experience for others.
We’re incredibly grateful to Denver for nourishing these passions and embracing our amazing community. We’ll gather in Colorado once more this June to reconnect in person, enhance relationships, and celebrate our milestone anniversary.
As we plan for the coming years back in Salt Lake City and County, we move forward with the same optimism and values that have always guided our industry, and we’re ready to work with you to explore endless opportunities to help our industry grow. We are excited about what the future holds for Outdoor Retailer.
Marisa Nicholson
Outdoor Retailer, Senior Vice President & Show Director
Jeff Davis
Emerald, Group Vice President
*To read more SGB Executive coverage on this story, “Exhibitors Threaten To Boycott Outdoor Retailer Show If It Returns To Utah,” go here.
Photo courtesy Outdoor Retailer
