The shows, put on twice-yearly by Nielsen Sports Group in partnership with the Outdoor Industry Association, are the city's largest conventions. The sheer size of the two events, staged in the summer and winter, gives California-based Nielsen Sports Group and the Colorado-based Outdoor Industry Association a lot of power to make demands.
But neither Outdoor Industry Association executive vice president Lori Herrera or Nielsen Sports Group representative Kenji Haroutunian, Outdoor Retailer show director, would say Friday why GOED approved the $250,000 incentive, which is part of a $569,000 package being put together by Salt Lake County.
Under the terms of the deal, GOED will withdraw $250,000 in cash from the state's Industrial Assistance Fund, which normally provides cash grants to companies moving to or expanding in the state. The money will go to the Outdoor Retailers summer show, this year through 2009.
GOED officials justified taking money from the Fund by saying the two organizations could pull the Outdoor Retailer shows out of Salt Lake City. The shows have been held in Salt Lake City for a decade and Nielsen Sports Group is contracted to hold the shows here through 2009.
"We want to make sure they stay in the state," said Michael Nelson, managing director of GOED corporate recruiting and incentives.
Last year, the two shows brought in 33,000 participants who spent an estimated $33.5 million last year on lodging, food, transportation and other expenditures, according to the Salt Lake Convention & Visitors Bureau.
GOED board member Jerry Oldroyd, however, suggested a future request for money for Outdoor Retailers would not be welcome. He said if Salt Lake County needs more money for Outdoor Retailers, they will have to look elsewhere.
Also on Friday, the GOED board approved a tax rebate of as much as $3.9 million to North American Pipe Corp. to entice the company to expand in Cedar City with a polyvinyl chloride (PVC) pipe manufacturing facility that could employ as many as 98 people.
The board also approved an incentive of as much as $300,500 to Handshake Films LLC to encourage the company to produce a movie titled "Waking up Driving" in Utah.
lesley@sltrib.com
