Lest anyone wonder where the center of the outdoor sports world might be, it’s Park City, which of course is why Snowsports Industries America moved here nearly a decade ago.
“SIA is a 74-year-old trade association for the winter outdoor community. Our goal is to make the winter sports industry profitable and healthy,” explained Nick Sargent, president of Snowsports Industries America.
As the SIA has grown over the years, the need to be accessible has become paramount.
“We want to make sure we are located at the hub of the winter sports community,” Sargent said. So the national association moved from McLean, Virginia, to Park City eight years ago.
“All roads lead to Park City,” he said. “Not only are there multiple world-renowned ski resorts in the immediate area, but numerous sports retailers call Park City their home.”
It helps that Utah is “located in the middle of the country and it’s easy to fly in and out of the Salt Lake International Airport. From the airport, you just hop onto I-80 and within a half-hour, you’re in Park City.”
Of course, this is not a huge secret, as numerous tech firms in Salt Lake City and the Park City area such as SkullCandy, Salomon, Rossignol, and Black Diamond are well aware.
Park City boasts the largest lift-served ski resort in the United States and Deer Valley is consistently named one the best ski resorts in the world, along with an expansion underway that will make it one of the largest resorts in the country. Not to mention that Little and Big Cottonwood Canyons are just around the corner.
Lots of outdoor commerce to serve, in other words.
“My role is to interact with the resorts and the manufacturers and help them address their threats and weaknesses,” Sargent said.
For SIA, dealing with the obstacles that affect the outdoor sports community sometimes means tackling difficult themes. These include ongoing issues like the direct and indirect consequences of high tariffs, custom fees, currency fluctuation, transaction costs, and value-added taxes.
SIA also monitors the lifecycle spans of manufactured products and goods and promotes their reusability and recyclability.
The organization is addressing the use of PFAS, or polyfluorinated substances. These encompass over 10,000 chemicals used in outdoor clothing for their water and stain-resistant properties. Many of these “forever chemicals” have been linked to developmental and immune system problems, as well as other serious health conditions.
Due to these side effects, the European Union, along with numerous American states banned or restricted the use of PFAS.
With SIA’s assistance and resources, its outdoor sportswear members have been able to find alternative coating options, as well as receive help navigating the numerous changes regarding the rules and regulations surrounding PFAS.
As an outdoors organization, the environment and onset of climate change has been paramount, as well.
“With snow coming later each year, it affects everything in Park City, from tourism and hospitality to restaurants and retailers,” Sargent said.
So SIA works with local and international companies on solutions to help stem the effects of global warming.
“I hope we will continue to experience growth in the outdoor sports industry while promoting diversity and making everyone feel welcomed,” Sargent said.
He said SIA’s top goals match with the overall community’s, especially around outdoor-oriented Park City.
“We want to get everyone outside doing something, even if that is just taking a walk and enjoying the beautiful scenery,” he said. A daily stroll may lead to an appreciation for preserving flora, fauna, and open space. And SIA doesn’t mind a “visit to a local retailer for a new pair of socks or shoes.”
