State Spotlight:
Utah

Utah is an adventure-lover’s paradise, offering a playground for athletes across every discipline. Whether it’s skiing down the famous slopes of Park City, mountain biking through rugged desert landscapes, or rock climbing in iconic canyons, the Beehive State has it all. “A combination of natural terrain and world-class facilities allows Utah to host a wide variety of sports year-round,” says Bridget Farfel, vice president of marketing, communication, and strategic partnerships at the Utah Sports Commission. “Utah has long been known for traditional winter sports, but we are seeing a shift to more action, summer sports, and entertainment events—ranging from Red Bull Rampage to UFC and professional hockey. Utah really is the State of Sport.”

Utah is an adventure-lover’s paradise, offering a playground for athletes across every discipline. Whether it’s skiing down the famous slopes of Park City, mountain biking through rugged desert landscapes, or rock climbing in iconic canyons, the Beehive State has it all. “A combination of natural terrain and world-class facilities allows Utah to host a wide variety of sports year-round,” says Bridget Farfel, vice president of marketing, communication, and strategic partnerships at the Utah Sports Commission. “Utah has long been known for traditional winter sports, but we are seeing a shift to more action, summer sports, and entertainment events—ranging from Red Bull Rampage to UFC and professional hockey. Utah really is the State of Sport.”

Cedar City

Cedar City is located in southern Utah. The area is made for outdoor adventure and hosts the annual Larry H. Miller Utah Sumer Games, as well as a variety of other events like rodeos and road races.

Hotel Rooms: 2,067 countywide
Hotel tax rate: 11.67 percent
Major Facilities:
  • Field at the Hills offers four softball fields
  • Bicentennial Softball Complex includes three fields
  • Little League Baseball Complex features six fields
  • Bicentennial Soccer Complex offers numerous soccer fields
  • Cross Hollow Event Center is a 30-acre facility with two arenas
Contact:

Visit Cedar City, visitcedarcity.org.

Greater Zion

Greater Zion annually hosts thousands of guests during IRONMAN events, including serving as the host for the 2021 IRONMAN World Championship (the first time the event was contested outside of Hawaii) and the 2021 and 2022 IRONMAN 70.3 World Championships. Additionally, the community has hosted the Huntsman World Senior Games since 1987, the St. George Marathon since 1977, and the Red Bull Rampage since 2001.

Hotel Rooms: 6,500
Hotel tax rate: 11 percent in many locations, additional city taxes do apply in certain municipalities
Major Facilities:
  • The Utah Tech University Burns Arena is an indoor multipurpose facility with 4,779 permanent seats
  • Greater Zion Stadium is a 10,500-seat stadium that hosts football, soccer, and track and field
  • Little Valley Fields consists of four soccer fields and 24 pickleball courts
  • The Canyons Softball Complex features seven diamonds
Convention Center:

Dixie Convention Center offers more than 100,000 square feet of space and includes a 46,000-square-foot column-free exhibit hall.

Contact:

Greater Zion CTO, greaterzion.com.

Ogden

Ogden’s unique blend of rugged terrain, scenic views, and gorgeous weather quench many a competitor’s thirst for adventure and competition. To addition to the breathtaking scenery, Ogden offers a vibrant downtown for participants and spectators.

Hotel Rooms: 1638
Hotel tax rate: 12.82 percent
Major Facilities:
  • Lindquist Field is a 7,000-seat minor league baseball stadium
  • The Ice Sheet houses two rinks
  • Weber State University’s Stewart Football Stadium seats 8,000
  • Golden Spike Event Center includes indoor rodeo space, an outdoor arena, seven soccer fields, a four-field softball complex, two regulation basketball courts, and three regulation volleyball courts
  • Spence Eccles Ogden Community Sports Complex has two soccer fields
  • 4th Street Softball Complex consists of three fields
Convention Center:

The Ogden Eccles Conference Center has hosted cheer and dance groups.

Contact:

Visit Ogden, visitogden.com.

Salt Lake

Salt Lake has become a hotbed in the western US for sports tourism.  Each year the destination hosts numerous youth and amateur events, with more coming every year.

Hotel Rooms: 20,000
Hotel tax rate: 13.82 percent
Major Facilities:
  • Salt Lake City Regional Athletic Complex offers 16 multi-use fields
  • Mountain America Expo Center features 243,000 square feet of contiguous space and 30-foot ceilings.
Convention Center:

Calvin L. Rampton Salt Palace Convention Center sits in the heart of downtown and boasts nearly one million square feet of space.

Contact:

Visit Salt Lake, visitsaltlake.com.

Utah Valley

Utah Valley has the second-largest population base within the state and is home to two universities. The area is known for its picturesque mountains and easy access to outdoor recreation.

Hotel Rooms: 4,500
Hotel tax rate: 13.32 percent
Major Facilities:
  • BYU George Albert Smith Field house has three basketball courts and seating for 5,000
  • UVU’s UCCU Ballpark seats 2500
  • Seven Peaks Ice Arena offers two Olympic-size ice sheets
  • BYU Clarence F. Robinson Track and Field facility seats 2,000
Convention Center:

Utah Valley Convention Center is a LEED Silver-certified building with 83,578 square feet of space, including a 19,620-square foot Exhibit Hall.

Contact:

Explore Utah Valley, utahvalley.com.