The North American Handmade Bicycle Show is in for a big year, with 182 exhibitors registered for the 10-12 March event in the Salt Palace Convention Center, Salt Lake City. Yet for the host state of Utah this will be the first, and likely the only time, the great handbuilt custom bicycles show visits.

NAHBS is one of a growing number of businesses abandoning the state in response to both the planned sell-off of public lands - part of a national parks system that has long been seen as the jewel in the crown of this nation - and the state's request that President Trump rescind the National Monument status of the 1.35 million acres comprising the Bear's Ears area.

Utah's governor, Gary Herbert (69) of American Fork, UT, met with Emerald Expos, parent company of Outdoor Retailer and Interbike, on February 16, after having reportedly rebuffed earlier requests for discussion during January. The word is he asked to be given some slack at this meeting, but by then it was too late: the trust was gone. During January, meetings in Washinton D.C. had taken place without representation from outdoor industry leaders and on January 31 the state legislature passed its resolution to rescind Bear's Ears. 

Emerald Expos put out a statement declaring their plans to leave Utah for good, and NAHBS followed suit. NAHBS founder and president, Don Walker, said, "When we were negotiating the show, Governor Herbert hadn't begun his assault on public lands. Regardless of our schedule we would not choose to bring the show back to Utah unless serious changes are made by government officials.” 

NAHBS is a roving show that changes its host city each year.

Dave Iltis, publisher of Utah-focused cycling publication, Cycling Utah, reckons the state will lose a bare minimum of $500 million over a three year span, and that's just from shows canceling. Additional revenues will be lost, he says, some existing and some potential, from large retailers like REI, Patagonia and North Face scaling back, from tourism, and companies locating closer to the home of Outdoor Retailer and Interbike, if it moved from Las Vegas as was being considered.

Iltis wrote on his website, "Utah has been poised to become the bike industry’s leading state. Had Interbike relocated to Utah, it’s probable that a number of new bike companies would have moved their headquarters here. This may still happen with the great work that Ogden, the Governor’s Office of Economic Development, and Park City are doing, But the loss of the Outdoor Retailer show, the lost opportunity of Interbike and the associated negative publicity puts bike industry growth in Utah at risk."

Itlis reckons that Utah's loss will be Colorado's gain. "The best money is on Denver, Colorado, as the new location for Outdoor Retailer and Interbike," says Iltis of the country's leading outdoor recreation and cycling shows. NAHBS in 2013 had its biggest ever year in Denver, with an official count of 200 exhibitors, and Coloradans are renowed worldwide for their great appetite for all things outdoors.

For Utah residents this all adds up to a compelling reason to attend NAHBS this year - as things stand it's the last time the popular consumer show will visit the state.