With the Outdoor Retailer event serving as the backdrop for the news conference, Edwards said Utah is "a place where you can take your stuff off the show floor and walk out this afternoon and go see how it works."

Bob Olsen, president and CEO of Peregrine, said his company's new warehouse is set to open March 1. "We're very excited to be in Utah," he said. "As a wholesale distributor, our business is really about logistics, and Utah is offering us a tremendous platform to service all of our customers here in the West."

Ned Post, president and chief operating officer of Smith Sport Optics, said a 25-year manufacturing partnership with a Utah company was dissolved late last year. "We were left with the decision as to where to base our new manufacturing facility," he said. "Thanks to the EDCU and the governor's office, that decision was made very easily."

Post also noted that Utah has a proven, reliable and stable work force.

But filling positions might become an issue for the growing companies. Brown said Backcountry.com is searching for a "significant" number of engineering workers — including software developers, engineers and systems architects and administrators — and online marketing department personnel.

Mike Dowse of Amer Sports, which earlier announced plans to put its North American winter sports headquarters in the American Can Building in Ogden, said his company needs to fill 60 to 70 positions in the next 90 days.

"There's a real buzz amongst our three offices around the U.S.," he said. "Everyone wants to get to Ogden now!"

The expansions and relocations add to an already strong industry sector. Frank Hugelmeyer, president of the Outdoor Industry Association, said a study to be released in April pegs the total economic direct-sales impact from the outdoor industry at $4.5 billion, with the ripple effect bringing the figure to $7 billion. It also accounts for $348 million in taxes; 36,000 direct jobs; and 80,000 direct and ripple jobs.

Scott Beck, president and CEO of the Salt Lake Convention and Visitors Bureau, said many companies put operations in Utah after their executives are exposed to the state at the Outdoor Retailer shows or when skiing in Utah.

Perry noted that outdoors companies both compete with and help one another.

"It's 'coopetition,"' he said. "It helps create long-term, sustainable economic development. And that's currently what we have going on in the state. We have coopetition. We have companies coming together, helping to recruit each other to the state. ... It truly is working."

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