Outdoor Retailer Signs Back on in Salt Lake City Through 2018

August 25, 2015

Even with so many attendees it's not easy to find a hotel room close by and some exhibits are outside in tents, Emerald Expositions’ Outdoor Retailer community has spoken loud and clear saying they want to stay in Salt Lake City.

The company listened and recently signed a contract to keep the massive show in the city through 2018.

“Salt Lake, and the State of Utah have proven to be wonderful hosts to the Outdoor Industry and to Outdoor Retailer over the years,” said Marisa Nicholson, vice president and Outdoor Retailer show director.

She added, “The community is welcoming, supportive and we feel at home during our two weeks in town. We are pleased to work with the Visit Salt Lake team, various elected officials, and the housing and business communities to continue to make the Outdoor Retailer Markets the most significant events for the industry.”

Outdoor Retailer surveyed more than 6,000 specialty retailer attendees and exhibitors. Over two-thirds said their preference was to keep the show in Salt Lake City. 

Exhibitors, too, said they preferred to stay in the city, citing favorable costs.

Outdoor Retailer’s leadership team has worked closely with local community representatives to creatively address accommodations and transportation to and from the Salt Palace Convention Center.

“We value our long-standing partnership with the Outdoor Retailer team and are pleased the show has chosen to remain in Salt Lake,” said Scott Beck, president and CEO, of Visit Salt Lake.

He added, “Visit Salt Lake will continue our work to guarantee that all attendees have a positive experience at the Outdoor Retailer Markets, including ensuring all can secure accommodations during their time in Salt Lake and access amenities like the light-rail transit system that provides transportation from the airport and throughout the city, much of it in the convention district’s ‘free fare zone.’”

The Outdoor Retailer Summer Market was recently held Aug. 5-8 and the Winter Market is on tap Jan. 7-10.

Both shows are on the TSNN Top 250 list of trade shows every year, with the larger summer show drawing more than 27,000 attendees to a 540,000-plus square foot showfloor.

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