Officials with the company that organizes the Outdoor Retailer show said they’re “taking all input and perspectives into consideration” in deciding whether to move the show out of Denver.

The Conservation Alliance, composed of more than 270 companies, said in a news release Monday that Emerald X, the publicly traded company that owns Outdoor Retailer, is considering moving the show back to Utah despite widespread industry objections. The alliance was joined by two dozen outdoor recreation companies, including Patagonia, REI and The North Face, in calling for a boycott if the show is moved to Salt Lake City.

“Our position on the location of the Outdoor Retailer trade show remains clear and unchanged: The show belongs in a state whose top officials value and seek to protect public lands,” Patagonia CEO Ryan Gellert said.

They specifically named Utah Gov. Spencer Cox, who did not respond to The Denver Gazette’s request for comment Monday and Tuesday.

“Outdoor Retailer and Emerald remain committed to supporting the outdoor and winter sports industries through hosting gatherings that both meet business needs and foster the spirit of our community,” show director Marisa Nicholson said in a statement. “We have been in ongoing conversations with many across our industry and are taking all input and perspectives into consideration, including responses from recent surveys.”

On Tuesday, a spokeswoman said surveys conducted after the summer 2021 show and January’s event, both in Denver, revealed participants would like to see a show in Anaheim, California; Denver; Las Vegas; Orlando, Florida; and Salt Lake City – “locations that have the space and infrastructure in place to accommodate the show and create a community atmosphere.”

Without providing specifics, officials said a decision about future shows is expected soon.

“We appreciate the passion and respect everyone’s point of view,” Nicholson said. “As we continue the process of evaluating all possible and realistic options, we remain thoughtful in our deliberations. Our chief goal is to host a vibrant event that not only reflects today’s new normal, but also presents an engaging event that draws more people into this community in ways that are authentic and affordable. No decisions around future dates or location have been decided at this time, and we look forward to sharing our thoughts in the coming days.”

Before the pandemic, the Outdoor Retailer show had an estimated $57 million impact on Denver’s economy and more than 25,000 registrants. The last two shows have seen half that level of participation, largely due to pandemic restrictions and complications – the “new normal” Nicholson referenced.

Denver’s five-year contract with Emerald X expires after this summer’s show. Visit Denver’s CEO Richard Scharf said previously that it takes 18 months to plan a show. That’s why a decision is expected soon.

For 22 years, the show was in Salt Lake City. But retailers started to push back on the location in 2016 after Utah politicians in the Republican-controlled state supported rescinding the protected status of Utah’s Bear Ears National Monument.

The outdoors industry took a stand after Utah lawmakers asked President Donald Trump in February 2017 to repeal the newly designated Bears Ears National Monument. Thirty outdoor companies objected, and the Outdoor Retailer show announced it would move from its longtime home in Salt Lake City to Denver.

The following December, Trump reduced the size of the Bears Ears and Grand Staircase-Escalante national monuments in Utah. Patagonia sued and declared on its website, “The President Stole Your Land.”

Those protections have since been restored by President Joe Biden, but The Conservation Alliance says Utah’s leaders are still trying to undermine the monuments.

Colorado Gov. Jared Polis, along with Colorado’s U.S. Sens. John Hickenlooper and Michael Bennet, said Monday that the state is a natural home for the show because it is a leader in outdoor recreation and is home to many of the industry’s biggest brands.

“We take pride in caring for our public lands and supporting our tribes while taking bold climate action and remaining business friendly,” the three said in a joint statement. “Today’s announcement from the outdoor recreation industry and its top leaders underscores that the Outdoor Retailer Show belongs in Colorado.”

Last year, Cox asked the show to return to Salt Lake City, saying the location offered economic benefits for both Utah and outdoor retailers.

“We’ve missed you for the past several years, and we’ve made some improvements while you’ve been away,” he said in a video released in October in which he referenced airport renovations and an increase in hotel room capacity.

Nicholson told The Denver Gazette before the summer show: “We’ve grown and changed since leaving Utah. January 2018 was our first show in Denver, and it was the biggest winter show we’ve ever done (once combined with the Snow Show). … We definitely think Denver has been a great home for the show. They were really wonderful to work with, helping find the right space and all the hotels we needed to accommodate the size of the show.”

The Associated Press contributed to this report.