Large Outdoor Trade Show Confirms Move From Utah To Denver

DENVER (AP/CBS4) — Denver will be the new home for the nation's largest outdoor recreation trade show.

At a press conference with Colorado's governor and Denver's mayor, the director of the Outdoor Retailer trade show, Marisa Nicholson, announced Thursday that the show would be held in the Mile High City starting in 2018.

"We chose Denver because of Colorado's longtime commitment to protecting and nurturing public lands. We chose Denver because this is where the industry wants to be and believes that here is the best place to begin this new era of a unified outdoor community," Nicholson said.

The retailers are leaving Utah after 20 years. Political differences with Utah leaders, including their opposition to the Bears Ears National Monument, sparked the move.

The show decided to leave after Utah Gov. Gary Herbert signed a resolution calling on federal officials to rescind the monument that President Barack Obama designated on 1.3 million acres of land in southeastern Utah considered sacred to Native American tribes.

The organization's biannual events attracted an estimated $45 million in annual direct spending to Utah.

(© Copyright 2017 CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved. The Associated Press contributed to this report.)