SALT LAKE CITY (August 24, 2015) —Salt Lake County, the Governor’s Office of Economic Development and Visit Salt Lake are excited to announce that Emerald Expositions, show organizers of the annual Outdoor Retailer Winter and Summer Markets that have been held in Salt Lake since 1996*, agreed to extend its contract with Salt Lake through 2018.

“Salt Lake has proven to be a wonderful host to the outdoor industry and to Outdoor Retailer over the years,” said Marisa Nicholson, VP and Outdoor Retailer Show Director. “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, City and County officials, and the housing and business communities to continue to make Outdoor Retailer the most significant events for the industry.”

According to Emerald Expositions, an overwhelming majority of more than 6,000 OR specialty retailers, attendees and exhibitors polled as to the shows’ future location indicated their preference was to remain in Utah’s capital city. The highest majority of responses came from specialty retailers, which show organizers consider being the most critical indicator. The cost of doing business in Salt Lake for exhibiting brands is favorable in comparison to other considered locations and was one of the key reasons exhibitors also favored Salt Lake as the preferred location.

“We’re excited that our partnership with Outdoor Retailer will continue and we’re pleased that so many participants prefer Salt Lake County as the location for the tradeshows,” said Mayor McAdams. “Soon we will be ‘on the street’ with a new bid request for a headquarters hotel, including public meeting space as well room accommodations adjacent to the Salt Palace. I believe we will find a great private sector partner and that everyone—convention goers, businesses, visitors and Utah residents—will benefit.”

“The OR Winter and Summer Markets are at home in Utah,” added Brad Petersen, Director of the Utah Office of Outdoor Recreation. “After 20 years, our communities, citizens, local business owners and elected officials feel a deep sense of responsibility to deliver the experience the retail buyers, brands/exhibitors, the Outdoor Industry Association and Emerald Expositions have come to expect. Those experiences are rooted in Utah's unique and accessible recreational assets. Together we have developed a trusting and collaborative relationship that fosters a long-term commitment to the shows’ continued success. And in return the OR shows have had a profoundly positive effect on our booming recreation economy, outdoor products revenue growth and understanding of the overall importance of our expansive public lands. The State of Utah and Salt Lake are excited about the future of the shows.”

Show dates for both Winter and Summer Markets are:

Winter Market 2016 – January 7-10

Summer Market 2016 – August 3-6

Winter Market 2017 – January 7-10

Summer Market 2017 – July 26-29

Winter Market 2018 – January 6-9

Summer Market 2018 – July 25-28

* The 2002 Outdoor Retailer Winter Market was held in Anaheim, CA, due to Salt Lake City’s hosting of the Olympic Winter Games. Visit Salt Lake is a private, non-profit corporation responsible for the promotion of Salt Lake as a convention and travel destination. In partnership with Salt Lake County, Visit Salt Lake’s mission is to improve the area economy by attracting and providing support to conventions, leisure travelers and visitors while being a leader in environmental responsibility. Salt Lake is a unique fusion of metropolitan city and quaint mountain town; the towering Wasatch Mountains that embrace Salt Lake offer a dramatic backdrop to the vibrancy and activities of downtown. For more information on all that Salt Lake has to offer, go to www.VisitSaltLake.com.