Outdoor trade show leaving Utah over public lands stance

[Eugene]

Source: Associated Press

Outdoor trade show leaving Utah over public lands stance

By BRADY McCOMBS
Feb. 16, 2017 9:21 PM EST

SALT LAKE CITY (AP) — A lucrative outdoor trade show that's been staged in Salt Lake City for two decades announced Thursday it will be leaving Utah over the latest disagreement with state leaders about their stance on public lands.

The Outdoor Retailer show made the announcement just hours after a conference call intended to smooth discord between industry leaders and Gov. Gary Herbert ended with both sides disappointed.

Herbert's office called it offensive that the show won't even let Utah even bid for future shows after so many years of support. Utah's Democratic chairman meanwhile blamed the state's GOP's "far-right agenda" for costing the state the $45 million in direct spending the show brings annually.

Industry leaders had previously threatened to leave Utah if Herbert didn't stand down from his call for President Donald Trump to rescind the new Bears Ears National Monument. He refused to grant them their request in the conference call, triggering the decision.

"We really can't stand by this action," said Rose Marcario, Patagonia CEO. "As an industry, we're all about defending public lands."

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Read more: http://bigstory.ap.org/article/6f91738a951944639adc4ff429edaffb/outdoor-trade-show-leaving-utah-over-public-lands-stance

[hatrack]

1. YES!!!!!!!!!!

About damn time!!

Tired of fuckers like Herbert and Chaffetz crapping all over public lands and honking and blowing about "freedom" and whining about the millions of tourists and hundreds of millions of dollars that wouldn't even be coming to their state w/o federal government presence, funding and commitment.

Particularly sweet - Herbert getting all pissy about how offensive it was that Utah didn't get a bid. What's wrong, Guv - free market got your tongue?