Visit Salt Lake presents Tourism Achievement Award for 2019 to Utah Sports Commission

Visit Salt Lake (VSL), the private, nonprofit corporation responsible for the promotion of Salt Lake City as a business and leisure destination, has presented its annual Tourism Achievement Award to the Utah Sports Commission. The presentation was made at organization’s June 20 meeting. 

Jeff Robbins, president and CEO, accepted the award on behalf of the commission. The Tourism Achievement Award is VSL’s highest honor presented annually to honor members and community organizations for “outstanding efforts in supporting the mission of VSL and the larger tourism community of Salt Lake County.” 

The Utah Sports Commission helps to enhance Utah’s economy, image and quality of life through the attraction, promotion and development of national and international sports by partnering and coordinating with convention and visitor groups like VSL, chambers of commerce, municipalities, sports organizations, venues and stakeholders, VSL said in a press statement. In the past two decades, the Utah Sports Commission has partnered on 785 events with an approximate economic impact to Utah of more than $2 billion, with an estimated media value of $462 million. Notably, under the leadership of Robbins, the Utah Sports Commission played a key role in the creation and direction of the official Olympic Exploratory Committee.

“To make Salt Lake City America’s choice for a future Games, we needed the right team and that absolutely included Jeff,” said Salt Lake City Mayor Jackie Biskupski. “Jeff understands the role the Olympics plays in our community and how we have a responsibility to protect and build upon that legacy. Through the Utah Sports Commission and as a lover of all things sports, Jeff has helped keep the Olympic fire burning in all of us since 2002.”

“In 2018 alone, the Utah Sports Commission partnered on 53 events across the state, generating more than $184 million in economic impact to Utah — a new record,” said Chris Erickson, VSL board chair. “We are proud to partner with the Sports Commission to bring sporting events to the Salt Lake area and are optimistic for another opportunity to welcome the world to Utah’s capital city by hosting another Olympic Games.”

According to VSL, the Sports Commission’s accomplishments in 2018 included partnering with national and international televised events that provided Utah’s tourism efforts an estimated $40 million in media value. Through partnerships with Olympic national governing bodies, it was instrumental in bringing to Utah 23 Olympic-related events, including USA Climbing Bouldering Nationals, USA Boxing National Championships, Olympic trials for short track speedskating and nordic jumping, USA Taekwondo National Championships, three USA Gymnastics competitions and many more.

The Utah Sports Commission recently landed the Vans World Finals Skateboard event for 2019, one of the world’s major skateboard events, and finalized a five-year agreement to bring six Ironman events to Washington County with an projected economic impact of $80 million. Included is the 2021 70.3 World Championship, which is expected to generate more than $25 million in direct attendee spending.