This is an archived article that was published on sltrib.com in 2017, and information in the article may be outdated. It is provided only for personal research purposes and may not be reprinted.
I can't believe people are shocked that Salt Lake City is losing the Outdoor Retailers show. I am also stunned some people have the temerity to claim the state manages the land well.
Certainly they can't be referring to air quality, which was recently ranked dead last — the most toxic in the entire country. Nor can they be referring to Utah Lake, which was briefly closed last summer when toxic algal blooms spiked to deadly levels.
I can't think of any body of water in this country managed so poorly, unless you go back something like 50 years to the Cuyahoga, which actually caught on fire. But certainly none in the modern era.
Our leaders have completely turned their backs on what could be pristine waterfront property with considerable potential economic and recreational value. Before state leaders wish to usurp control of federal lands, show us you can manage what you do control. So far I'm not impressed and apparently neither are many of my fellow outdoor enthusiasts.
Scott Brighton
Santaquin