Some prominent outdoor recreation companies plan on boycotting an outdoor trade show if it returns to Utah
Announcements of the possible boycott were announced by Patagonia, REI, and The North Face on Monday. The decision to boycott appearances at the outdoor trade show spawned out of anger by companies through their perception of Utah lawmakers and their lack of protection over national monuments and public lands.
Ryan Gellert, CEO of Patagonia, explained that his company isn’t opposed to returning to Utah should state officials value and seek to protect its public lands. Patagonia as well as other companies within the trade show have gone on record expressing their love for the state and its cultural and natural landscapes, but plan to oppose any efforts that show a lack of protection for those aspects of Utah.
Emerald X, the company running the trade show, is looking to return back to Salt Lake City after it had originally left for Denver back in 2017. Denver’s contract with the trade show is set to expire after this year.
