Letter from Cherokee: The A to Z of the Outdoor Economy Conference

Written By Drew Simmons

A quick spin through a few of the many, many ideas and conversations that emerged from last week’s Outdoor Economy Conference in Cherokee, North Carolina.

A is for All of the Above: The idea of a conference devoted to the multifaceted and highly interconnected outdoor economy is a relatively new thing, one that has grown out of the plentiful energy radiating around state-level outdoor advocacy. North Carolina was active early in the ‘rise of state outdoor’ advocacy, propping up one of the first outdoor business alliances as well as one of the first state offices of outdoor recreation. That momentum propelled them to launch the Outdoor Economy Conference in 2017, which has carved out a spot for itself in the national calendar by being the first, biggest and most ambitious event of its kind. 

Last week’s event drew more than 700 people from 40 states to a meticulously thought out and smoothly run itinerary featuring multiple learning tracks (Building Vibrant Outdoor Communities, Leveling up Outdoor Businesses, Advancing Inclusive & Effective Coalitions, and Envisioning Outdoors 2.0), plenty of networking opportunities in the hallways and expo hall, and a variety of planned excursions ranging from fly fishing and mountain biking to beer tasting and wildflower identification. 

The result was a thirst trap for outdoor nerds of all kinds – myself included – including planners and politicians, nonprofits and for-profits, universities and colleges, business owners and state directors of outdoor recreation, a mashup that was described as by event co-hosts Noah Wilson (Mountain Biz Works) and Amy Allison (Made X Mountains) of as an “all of the above” gathering.

B is for Bowling: Lebowski would be proud. Night one ended with a bowling party hosted by REI Path Ahead Ventures and Founded Outdoors, the team behind Embark – a virtual 3-month program designed to fuel new entrepreneurs from Black, Indigenous, Latina/o/x, and Asian American and Pacific Islander communities by offering resources and guidance as they turn early-stage ideas into viable businesses. If you missed it, the application window for the spring 2024 Embark cohort just opened … spread the word! 

C is for Cherokee: The Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians (EBCI) was the presenting sponsor of the Outdoor Economy Conference, and representing them as the keynote speaker was Annette Sanooke Clapsaddle — award winning author, avid mountain biker, and fully functioning quote machine. She blew me away with her ease in expressing the cultural importance of natural landscapes: as a classroom, as a reflection of the tension between modernity and wildness (“of poison and medicine”), and as an essential part of who we are as people.

A big reason for their sponsorship is that the EBCI are leaning in hard on outdoor recreation, actively building resources around their historic trout fishing waters, their new network of best-in-class mountain biking and hiking trails, and even a a championship caliber “Disc Golf Sanctuary.” They’re also rolling out (in 2024) something called the Fire Mountain Ignitor Park, the biggest facility of its kind east of Colorado (or maybe California) that will include two asphalt pump tracks, a bicycle playground, numerous skills area and a couple gravity lines.

A bit of background on the EBCI from the conference materials: “The Eastern Band of Cherokee are the direct descendants of those Cherokees who resisted forced removal by the federal government during the infamous Trail of Tears. Prior to European contact, the Cherokee were one of the largest tribes in what is today the southeastern United States. The Cherokee had towns and hunting grounds spanning 7 states. Today, because of Federal Indian removal policies, there are now three distinct sovereign Cherokee tribes; The United Keetoowah Band of Cherokee (Oklahoma), The Cherokee Nation (Oklahoma) and the Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians. While each tribe is now a sovereign nation within these United States, all Cherokee can trace their lineage back to this place, the majestic Great Smoky Mountains. Specifically, to the most sacred place to all Cherokee, Kituwah, the Mothertown and birth place of the Cherokee people. It is in this place that for over 10,000 years our people have lived, worked, played, and raised generations of our families.”

D is for David Joy: In an afternoon session on day two, Ms. Clapsaddle joined author David Joy for a discussion that was labeled “Southern Reflections: Storytelling” but could’ve been called “ripping the outdoor industry a new one.” With an unmistakable passion for the outdoor world as well as an acute awareness of the potential community impacts of over-tourism, the two spoke truth on a number of topics — from the honest reaction of a native American to the trend of land acknowledgments to the extractive nature of industrial tourism. A few nuggets from Mr. Joy: “It’s all become a playground, primarily for people who don’t live here, and you have to live with it” … “The question should always be ‘what are you putting back in’, but instead it’s all about 'how much more can we get out’” …“(Tourism) just as extractive as coal, it’s just not as ugly.” Personally, I’d vote to bring Ms. Clapsaddle and Mr. Joy to a full slate of outdoor industry events as the counterbalance to what is occasionally a heavy dose of Kool-Aid.

E is for elk: The first bull elk in the road was less than five minutes from the convention center hotel, gently grazing on some grass across the street from the high school. The second was just around the corner, right before where I started seeing the familiar sight of open tailgates, wading boots, and solitary anglers making a short scramble down to what looked like a pretty badass trout stream. Note to self: Next time, bring your rod.

F is for Fire Mountain Trails: The spark of the idea for the Fire Mountain trail network in Cherokee dates back to 2014, when a planning process for trails led to an initial investment of $345,000 from the Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians. According to speakers at the event, the trail network is now responsible for $1.9 million per year in economic impact.

Phase two of the project – the Ignitor Bike Park – will bring to life a $2.5 million vision for the largest bike park in the east, scheduled to open in fall 2024. The facility will feature a competition-level asphalt pump track and bike skills park, along with ten miles of new trails.

G is for Gambling: I’ll admit that at first glance, the thought of staying at a casino hotel for the Outdoor Economy conference seemed odd and incongruous, a weird match of uber-indoorness and aspiring outdoorsiness, like white wine and peanut butter. But looks can be deceiving. 

After spending three days at the Outdoor Economy conference in Cherokee – listening, talking, and soaking in all the ideas I could – the host venue wasn’t just a good choice. It was a great one.

The host location had it all – the natural allure of the nearby Great Smoky Mountain National Park, a growing gateway community, and an inspiring backdrop story of how the Eastern Cherokee are leaning in hard on outdoor recreation as a way to diversify their economy, improve public health outcomes in their community, and strengthen their commitments to conservation.  It also had a top-tier convention center hotel, neatly distanced from the casino part.

And while I did no gambling at the event (honestly), I did sit next to a mother of three at the bar on Monday night who had put down $700 on the Steelers to win. “Go big or go home,” she said. And she did just that.

H is for Hurricanes (and tropical storms that want to be like them): The impact of extreme weather on outdoor recreation infrastructure wasn’t officially on the agenda, but it came up multiple times in the hallways as it is unfortunately and increasingly a common experience among outdoor recreation planners. From Tropical Storm Fred ravaging North Carolina in 2021 to the Vermont floods of this current summer that hammered both towns and trails, there’s plenty of recent experience to go around … and plenty of interest in developing proactive strategies to prepare for the next one.

I is for IMBA Trail Solutions, who held a Trail Planning & Development Workshop in conjunction with the event, using the Fire Mountain Trails in Cherokee as a living classroom.

J is for the Jerky Experience: Which was just up the road. I didn’t go, but I’ll admit that I was curious. LINK

L is for Luis Benitez: One of the true icons in modern outdoor advocacy, Mr. Benitez has fingerprints on just about every major development in the community, from the launch of the highly active Colorado Office of Outdoor Recreation to the conceptualization and gathering of the Confluence of States. Mr. Benitez was on hand at the North Carolina event, lending his gravitas to conversations as well as continuing his efforts to push for a national office of outdoor recreation.

M is for Money: Behind the knobby tires and hiking boots, the story of outdoor advocacy in 2023 (and, well, every year)  is essentially a story about money. About who has it, how to find it, how to spend it, and how to make get the most out of it. It’s no secret that there’s a wave of federal funding coming toward outdoor recreation planners from a variety of acronym-driven pieces of legislation (GAOA, ARPA, IRA, etc). And it’s all within reach, as long as states have a structure in place as well as the political will to go get it. To put a sharper point on things, staff up or miss out … “This is a once in a lifetime wave of money coming our way, to the point where states don’t have enough staff to get the money,” said Andy Williamson, Director of Outdoor Economic & Community Development, West Virginia University, during a presentation at the event.

N is for New Regionalism: While the era of a thriving “big national outdoor show that does everything for everybody” seems to have slipped away, there is an interesting evolution of how and where people are gaining experience, building connections and growing their businesses and organizations. It’s based in a kind of new regionalism where events gather those closest to them — either physically or mentally — and run highly focused gatherings that deliver results. Certain events … like the Outdoor Economy Conference or the Grassroots Connect show… are a prime example of this newly popular approach.

O is for Other outdoor economy conferences: In case you’re scoring at home, there are a few similar events coming up in and around the outdoor recreation economy world. If you know of others, let me know and I’ll update the list.


P is for plaid shirts: Which are apparently still a thing.

Q is for the Qualla Boundary: The town of Cherokee, North Carolina, is the centerpiece of the Qualla Boundary, the largest contiguous portion of the historic Cherokee footprint in the southeast. The US government tried to remove all Cherokee by force from the Qualla in the 1830s, and while the majority (around 15,000) were pushed out along the Trail of Tears, a few hundred stayed and fought, rallying behind Tsali – who was eventually caught and executed. His followers became the core of the Eastern Band of the Cherokee Indians, who in order to remain, bought their own land back in the 1870s.

R is for REI: There’s really not a large enough superlative to describe the commitment of REI to outdoor advocacy in comparison to other outdoor businesses. Biggerest? Hugetastic? Going-it-alonest? Their support is seemingly present in every initiative, in every single state, and includes providing encouragement, advice and even a little cash when needed. Their consistency of presence is so constantly visible they often appear like the only national outdoor business that values the importance and potential of a 50 state strategy for outdoor recreation advocacy..

S is for SOBAN: Another badge of honor for this year’s event was that it was the chosen site for a Confluence of States gathering – which is the name for all the state offices of outdoor recreation which have signed onto the commitments of the Confluence Accords. And while Confluence directors have met before many times, the North Carolina gathering was the first time they had their first-ever shared meeting with their private sector counterparts in the State Outdoor Business Alliance Network (SOBAN). If you’re looking to get involved in outdoor advocacy at a high level, SOBAN is the place to start.

T is for that super tasty Tomato & Mozzarella breakfast sandwich: I’ve been on the vegetarian-curious diet plan for a while, but it gets super tough when traveling. I definitely appreciated this breakfast sandwich on day two. I even took a picture of it.

U is for Upside Down: While organizers called the Outdoor Economy event an “all of the above” gathering, my personal description would be an “upside down” one. As members of the traditional outdoor industry might recall, large national gatherings used to be 95% (or more) about business, with a small hallway or two devoted to the ideas and actions of organizations on the front lines of key issues. Outdoor economy conferences are the other way around …  ideas first, business second.

W is for West Virginia: Imagine if you lived in a place that was rich in natural infrastructure but limping along economically and losing population in an outgoing deluge. Now imagine you were blessed with the support of a philanthropic $25 million gift to launch a concerted effort to use outdoor recreation as the wind in the sails of a new economy. 

That’s what’s happening right now in West Virginia, and it’s awesome.

Centered in the Brad and Alys Smith Outdoor Economic Development Collaborative at West Virginia University, the effort is bringing a distinctly academic thought process (nobody does homework better than a bunch of professors) to the job of outdoor advocacy, and they’re staffing it with top tier professionals with unlimited amounts of energy and passion for the topic. They’re also eager to share their emerging story through events like the Outdoor Economy Session, where they led a packed session called “The Canary in the Coal Mine: A Litmus Test for Utilizing the Outdoors for Economic and Social Prosperity in Appalachia.” All eyes should be on this crew.

XYZ is for all the rest of the things I didn’t mention: One of which being a panel discussion about the future of outdoor events which I was invited to host. It wasn’t about the pros and cons of various shows/events already on the schedule, but about the concerns and calculations of businesses and organizations that are driving their decisions on which events to attend.

Once upon a time, the outdoor industry heartbeat was definitely easier to find, mainly because there were fewer people in the room. But today, in this post-COVID landscape, the outdoor industry has done more than just grow and evolve, it has also fundamentally changed in some ways as it has reset its footing in altogether new places with more than a few new faces.

Thank you to the panelists who joined me up on stage … Bryan Owen from Astral, Danielle Del Sordo and Brandegee Pierce from Pirani, Chuck Millsaps from Great Outdoor Provision Co., and Katie Doherty from Founded Outdoors … You all made my week.

Drew Simmons
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