Friday we’re asking whether the Outdoor Retailer Trade Show would leave Salt Lake City because of the public land agenda of state lawmakers. Peter Metcalf, the founder of the outdoor company Black Diamond, says the trade show should consider leaving if state leaders don’t back off from their attempt to take ownership of public land. But these kinds of warnings have been made before. What’s different this time, and what is the economic value of public land in Utah? Metcalf and others join us.
Guests:
- Brian Maffly is public lands reporter for the Salt Lake Tribune.
- Peter Metcalf is founder and former CEO of Black Diamond Equipment. His op-ed Time for Outdoor Retailers to leave Utah and its anti-recreation politics appeared in the January 10 issue of the Salt Lake Tribune.
- Matt Anderson is a policy analyst with the Salt Lake City-based Sutherland Institute's Coalition for Self-Government in the West.
- Spencer Cox is Lieutenant Governor of Utah.
Additional Resources:
- Patagonia founder Yvon Chouinard's open letter to Utah Governor Gary Herbert. The Outdoor Industry Loves Utah; Does Utah Love the Outdoor Industry?