facebook-pixel

Utah won’t say how it’s trying to tempt Amazon — but outdoor recreation, multilingual Mormons are likely key

(AP Photo/Bebeto Matthews, File) Miracle Stewart, right, an employee of Amazon PrimeNow, prepares bags to fill with orders from customers making purchases, at a distribution hub in New York.

(AP Photo/Bebeto Matthews, File) Miracle Stewart, right, an employee of Amazon PrimeNow, prepares bags to fill with orders from customers making purchases, at a distribution hub in New York.

By  The Associated Press
 | Oct. 18, 2017, 10:49 a.m.

Utah officials working to lure Amazon to the Salt Lake City area are keeping details of their bid under wraps but economic development officials say recreation opportunities play a big part in their pitch to any company considering a move to the state.

Val Hale, executive director of the Utah Governor's Office of Economic Development, says it's an amazing benefit that you can live in downtown Salt Lake City and ski at a resort that hosted the Olympics in 30 minutes.

Hale says Salt Lake City also touts that it Utah has five national parks within a four hour drive and mountain biking and hiking trails in the mountain ranges surrounding the city.

He says Utah also boasts about a multilingual population that speaks more than 120 languages, largely because of the population of returned Mormon missionaries.

Support free news for Utah

sltrib.com is now free to access — no subscription required. We made this decision because we believe access to trustworthy, independent news shouldn’t depend on what you can afford — especially as misinformation and AI-generated content continue to rise.

Free to read doesn’t mean free to produce. Our reporters show up every day to ask hard questions and hold powerful institutions to account. That work takes resources. As a nonprofit newsroom, we rely on support from people who believe it matters. Make a donation today to fund local news that serves Utah communities.

You can help us bring more local news to more communities today.

$15$25$35

MOST VIEWED

By The Associated Press