29,000 outdoor retailers attend confab and leave $25M behind

Attendees entering last week's Outdoor Retailer Summer Market stop to check out a vehicle on display outside the Salt Palace Convention Center in Salt Lake City. About 29,000 manufacturers, retailers and suppliers were expected to attend the four-day event, organized by Emerald Expositions.

Attendees entering last week's Outdoor Retailer Summer Market stop to check out a vehicle on display outside the Salt Palace Convention Center in Salt Lake City. About 29,000 manufacturers, retailers and suppliers were expected to attend the four-day event, organized by Emerald Expositions.

Another Outdoor Retailer Summer Market has come and gone, leaving in its wake a more than $25 million economic impact.

The gathering featured about 29,000 outdoor industry manufacturers, retailers and suppliers at the Salt Palace Convention Center over four days.

During the 20 years of the OR tradeshows — the Summer and Winter markets — direct delegate spending has totaled an estimated $565 million and produced $52 million in city, county and state taxes. The delegate spending figures are based on convention delegate surveys conducted by the University of Utah’s Bureau of Economic and Business Research (BEBR) over the past five years that indicate the average delegate spends $933 while attending a convention in Salt Lake City.

The OR shows are business-to-business events and closed to the public. Last week’s show was preceded by a one-day Open Air Demo at Pineview Reservoir in Ogden Valley.

The shows are part of Utah’s overall outdoor recreation economy that is responsible for 122,400 jobs, $12 billion in consumer spending and $856 million in state and local tax revenue, according to the OIA (Outdoor Industry Association) Recreation Economy Report.

“After 20 years, the excitement and enthusiasm in welcoming back OR to Salt Lake and the Salt Palace Convention Center are greater than ever,” said Salt Lake County Mayor Ben McAdams. “The show’s presence highlights the important economic impact of the recreation industry to our county and the entire state of Utah.

“What started two decades ago with 5,000 attendees and 100,000 square feet of exhibits has become our largest annual trade show, with more than 29,000 attendees. The outdoor industry has become an important job growth sector as well, as businesses locate here, creating and providing jobs throughout the state.”

Marisa Nicholson, vice president and OR show director, described Salt Lake City as “a wonderful place” for the industry to gather.

“Each Summer and Winter Market, the outdoor community is welcomed so warmly,” she said. “Salt Lake is a gracious host, making us feel at home while we are here. The community shares our passion for the outdoors, and the outdoor lifestyle making it a wonderful place to conduct business.”

Nationwide, the outdoor recreation economy has created 6.1 million jobs and produces $646 billion in direct consumer spending, $39.9 billion in federal tax revenue and $39.7 billion in state and local tax revenue, according to the OIA report.

The Outdoor Foundation’s Outdoor Participation Study shows that in 2015, 48.4 percent of Americans participated in at least one outdoor activity that year. That equates to 142.4 million participants, who went on a collective 11.7 billion outdoor outings. About 60 percent of the 198 million Americans between ages 18 and 65 describe themselves as outdoor consumers, according to the OIA Outdoor Consumer Segmentation Report. The same report also indicated that outdoor enthusiasts are willing to pay more money for outdoor equipment that is durable, high-those enthusiasts spending an average of $458 per year on outdoor-related merchandise.

“Outdoor recreation can grow jobs and drive the economy if we manage and invest in national, state and local parks, waters and trails as an interconnected system designed to sustain economic dividends, said Amy Roberts, OIA’s executive director. “The industry’s power has been further demonstrated by Interior Secretary Sally Jewell’s announcement earlier this year that the federal government will formally calculate the outdoor industry’s economic impact and finally put our influence on equal footing with oil and gas, healthcare and high tech.”

Last summer, officials from Visit Salt Lake, Salt Lake County and the Governor’s Office of Economic Development announced a two-year extension with Emerald Expositions, the shows’ organizer, to retain the OR events beyond the previous agreement that was set to conclude after this year’s 2016 summer show. The agreement keeps the shows in Salt Lake City through the summer of 2018.

The shows have been at the Salt Palace since 1996, with the exception of the 2002 Winter Market, when Salt Lake City hosted the Winter Olympics.

The long-term solution for retaining the OR shows lies in a convention center hotel. Salt Lake County is negotiating with DDRM Cos. of St. George for the development of a hotel at or near the Salt Palace. A hotel of 800 to 1,200 rooms is expected to cost $300 million.

Omni Hotels & Resorts, based in Dallas, was the sole respondent for the original request for proposals to build, own and operate the hotel, but McAdams rejected the proposed contract, citing Omni’s desire for increased public funding and balking at block room rate adjustments.

The state is offering $75 million in tax credits through the Governor’s Office of Economic Development as an incentive for potential hotel developers. The county has also agreed to kick in $25 million in incentives.