Outdoor Retailer is returning to Salt Lake City, Utah. The last show in Denver will be OR Summer from June 9-11, 2022. After the June event and five years in Colorado, the next Winter Show will be the first OR event in its new, old home. OR was based in Salt Lake City for 22 years, but moved to Denver in 2018 after Utah lawmakers asked former President Donald Trump to rescind the newly-designated Bears Ears National Monument. President Joe Biden has since restored the monuments to their former size.
Before OR’s decision to move back to Salt Lake, there had been many discussions in the industry about the venue and location. Most recently, 25 brands, including Patagonia, REI and The North Face, spoke out against Utah in an open letter.
OR’s organizers, Emerald X, said: “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.” This is part of the statement released along with the announcement of the show’s relocation. Jeff Davis, group vice president of Emerald, said in an interview with The Associated Press that the company hopes to convince skeptical attendees to stay with the show.
Marisa Nicholson, OR’s trade show manager, said Emerald has been in discussions with its customers since June 2021 and that those discussions ultimately determined the appropriate dates and location for the show’s future.
At the same time, Emerald made concessions:
- 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 the 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;
- Providing increased opportunities for the industry, local communities, and media to participate in panel discussions, educational activities, and volunteer projects.
The exact dates of the next OR events at the Salt Palace Convention Center in Salt Lake City are expected to be announced in the coming weeks. The first show in Utah is planned for January 2023.
You can find more detailed information and statements from both Denver, Salt Lake and Emerald officials in our sister publication, The Outdoor Industry Compass.
