Three political leaders announced their support for efforts to keep an outdoor retailer trade show in Colorado.

Colorado Gov. Jared Polis and U.S. Sens. Michael Bennett and John Hickenlooper released a joint statement following announcements by outdoor industry leaders to keep the show in Denver.

“Colorado’s outdoor recreation industry is crucial to our economy and our way of life. Many of the industry’s major brands call Colorado home, and rightfully so. We take pride in caring for our public lands and supporting our tribes while taking bold climate action and remaining business-friendly,” the joint statement read. “We stand with the outdoor recreation community to support an inclusive and meaningful outdoor recreation gathering that will always have a home in the Centennial State.” 

Colorado became home to the Outdoor Retailer Trade Show in 2017. Emerald Expositions, the company that owns the rights to the show, has not yet announced whether it plans to keep the show in Denver after its current contract expires.

Polis, Bennett and Hickenlooper said Colorado is a national leader in outdoor recreation. The state was the second in the country to establish a government office dedicated to the outdoor recreation industry. 

The state developed a new outdoors funding model through the Keep Colorado Wild Pass and increased access to the outdoors through a new outdoor equity fund.

Moreover, the state has been a strong supporter of public lands as well as efforts to combat climate change, they said.