After almost 20 years in Salt Lake City, Utah, the Outdoor Retailer trade show announced Friday it will find another place to hold the show after the summer of 2018.
Brands like Patagonia and Polartec withdrew from the July event earlier this week in protest over Utah’s public land policy. The state’s Gov. Gary Herbert, also signed a document encouraging the Trump Administration to rescind the Bears Ears National Monument designation.
Earlier this month, Outdoor Retailer along with Outdoor Industry Association and the Grassroots Outdoor Alliance announced a search for new locations for shows after Nov. 2018.
Retailers including Patagonia, The North Face and REI met with Gov. Herbert Thursday via teleconference to further the discussion and voice concerns. After the call, Marisa Nicholson, Outdoor Retailer show director, urged the public to be patient and know that the show is working to find a new location for future events.
“We are doing the work necessary to procure an alternative location for Outdoor Retailer,” said Nicholson. “Though we may wish it different, this is far from a snap of the fingers thing to make happen. Convention centers and hotels are not sitting idle. In every instance at every potential venue, there are hurdles that have to be cleared and that simply cannot be done overnight. We expect that our current proposal process, which we initiated before any of the company withdrawal announcements last week, will take between 60 and 90 days. Salt Lake City has been hospitable to Outdoor Retailer and our industry for the past 20 years, but we are in lockstep with the outdoor community and are working on finding our new home.”