Welcome Back, Welcome Back, Welcome Back
By Doug Schnitzspahn
Salt Lake City is known as the home of the first parking meter and Colonel Sanders’s first fast food joint. It’s the home of the Utah Jazz and a ravenous fan base that lives and dies for hoops. It’s the center of the state, both secularly with the capitol here and spiritually with the Mormon Tabernacle anchoring the fastest-growing religion in the U.S. It’s a surprisingly diverse place, the epicenter of Utah’s progressive movement and a spot where you can find food from all over the planet. For those who love the outdoors, it’s paradise: Ski areas with prodigious powder dumps are accessible via a short drive or public transit ride from the airport. Climbers can tick off classic routes on lunch breaks. The mountain biking community in nearby Park City continues to add to its rollicking trail system.
And it is, once more, the home of the most important gathering of the outdoor community.
After five years away, Outdoor Retailer attendees may be both comforted by how much has stayed the same here and pleasantly surprised by all that’s new. For attendees flying in, it starts with the new airport—it’s Delta’s fourth largest hub that averages 375 daily departures to nearly 100 destinations (Phase 1 is now open, and it will be fully completed in 2024)—and continues with the new Hyatt Regency Salt Lake. Connected to the Calvin L. Rampton Salt Palace Convention Center (aka The Salt Palace), the hotel boasts 700 rooms and suites, an array of dining options, and a rooftop terrace with a heated pool and cabanas. Along with those big changes, the city has continued to draw restaurateurs, artists, musicians, yogis, and entrepreneurs. It feels bigger and reinvigorated.
“We are proud to welcome back Outdoor Retailer to Salt Lake County,” says Salt Lake County Mayor Jenny Wilson (the county owns and manages the Salt Palace). “Our beautiful landscapes and plethora of nearby outdoor attractions are the perfect setting for this show.”
Growing Up
“We’ve really grown up,” says Salt Lake City Mayor Erin Mendenhall. “A lot has changed, particularly downtown, since OR was last held in SLC. Chances are that with our new downtown Hyatt Regency Convention Center Hotel, which opened last fall, attendees have an opportunity to stay in the heart of our city, and with that comes the chance to experience any of the 32 new bars and restaurants that have opened just this year. Also, arriving here is going to look a lot different—our new Salt Lake City International Airport opened in October 2020, and we hope you’re as happy traveling in and out of it as we are.”
“The food and beverage scene has really expanded to be able to compete with most big cities,” says Matt Crandall, director of operations and partner for the Bourbon Group, which operates four restaurants—Bourbon House, Whiskey Street, White Horse, and Franklin Ave—that are sure to attract attendees who savor their classy spirits. “It’s exciting to see how much Salt Lake has grown. I think people coming back will see a lot of changes that will keep them happy to return for many years.”
“People don’t realize how cool Salt Lake City is,” says Lucy Cardenas, owner of the always popular Red Iguana, the must-go Mexican restaurant a short walk from the Salt Palace that’s famed for its mole and where you are sure to see folks you may have missed out on the Show floor. And she is thankful for the business Outdoor Retailer brings to town. “This means a very busy January and June for us,” she says.
Utah’s ski areas have been just as popular across the globe as ever. Having the Show in town is important to them to be able to take part in key conversations and host attendees. And those attendees love to ski and ride here for good reason.
“With 10 ski resorts within an hour and a half of the Salt Lake City International Airport, Utah is the perfect place to demo and test gear during Outdoor Retailer,” says Alison Palmintere, director of communications at Ski Utah. “Whether attendees are looking to experience top-notch tree skiing or perfect corduroy groomers, Utah has it all within a short drive of the Show.”
The truth is that, despite all other claims of business and community, having the Show in Utah is a good excuse to ski or ride. “Snowbird is excited for the return of Outdoor Retailer to Salt Lake City,” says Kelsey Johnson, creative marketing manager at Snowbird. “We’ve seen an impressive early season accumulation of the greatest snow on earth that OR attendees can enjoy just 29 miles away from the Show.”
And attendees can make skiing and riding part of the job and part of the Show at The Summit by Outdoor Retailer, the new demo at Brighton and Solitude.
Outdoor Values
The time the Show spent away from its longtime home has made the local community even more willing to prove it can make a big difference when it comes to fighting for the values of the outdoor industry. Salt Lake missed the Show—and the people who live in Salt Lake City are eager to prove it belongs here. Locals want you to know that Utah cares about the environment, about public lands, about conservation. The idea that the state and especially diverse and forward-thinking Salt Lake County are not fighting for positive change is a myth those in the trenches want to dispel.
“We are entering a new era in which engagement and conversation will advance our mutual interests,” says Wilson. “I have fought alongside allies all along the Wasatch Front to preserve these natural resources. We are fighting for the preservation of our Cottonwood Canyons, advancing policies to protect our watershed, and investing in cleaning up our air. Our work and our voices are deliberate, and we are making a difference.”
Wilson points to the work the county has done to acquire additional land, increase trail and open space acreage, and open new trailheads. “In our canyons, we have fought development, infrastructure-dense transportation, and mining efforts,” she says.
For its part, the Show is introducing its new leadership conference in conjunction with The Summit demo starting in January 2024. The idea is to bring a wide range of personalities across the outdoor industry together to seek solutions to pressing industry issues. At the coming summer show, Outdoor Retailer will introduce its Business With Purpose initiatives, which will focus one creating advocacy and action in the outdoor space.
“One of the most critical things having the Show back does is it brings back so many partners to the table in our work to preserve and protect our natural environment,” says Mendenhall, who took office in 2020 and is focused on environmental and progressive issues including improving the city’s air quality. “The Show has also been so much a part of our identity as a city. The vibe around town during OR is unmatched…it just feels right. I’m excited about seeing everyone out and about town once again, but moreover, I’m excited about the possibilities of how we can, together, aim toward our mutual goals beyond the shows.”
That determination to lead the outdoor industry while hosting its biggest gathering will only gain momentum as the Show settles back into town.
“I want the Outdoor Industry to partner with local leaders here in Salt Lake to support our efforts and help us preserve our beautiful outdoor spaces for future generations,” says Wilson. “I am thrilled about the opportunity Outdoor Retailer brings for this county and for their continued partnership to preserve what makes Salt Lake County such a perfect place for these markets: our canyons, trails, and beautiful open spaces.”