Media Mentions

Salt Lake City – Last year, Utah’s economy fared better than the national average. However, the state is bracing for a forecast of slower, but not stalling, economic activity in 2025. That’s according to the 2025 Economic Report to the Governor by the Kem C. Gardner Policy Institute. Phil Dean, chief economist at the Gardner Institute and co-chair of the Utah Economic Council, said in a news release that despite predictions of “higher interest rates forcing a hard landing,” the economy in the U.S. grew in 2024, as things start to get to normal levels after the COVID-19 pandemic. However, some policies[...]

Taming the “red snake” — the often miles-long line of glowing red taillights going up and down the Cottonwood canyons on a powder day or holiday — has proven a vexing problem for the four ski resorts nestled in the snow-covered mountains east of Salt Lake City. On a sunny day, about 1,200 cars an hour move through Little Cottonwood Canyon, home to Snowbird and Alta Ski Area. But when it snows, the number drops to 300 an hour, causing gridlock for hours, said Mike Maughan, Alta president and general manager.

Salt Lake City – At a time of relative peace and with fewer than 1% of Americans serving active duty in the military, it’s easy to forget the economic impact of the defense industry — particularly in Utah. But in 2023, the defense industry directly and indirectly supported over 173,000 Utah jobs — about the size of the state’s construction industry — and contributed an estimated $22.2 billion to the state’s gross domestic product, according to a report released this week by the Kem C. Gardner Policy Institute.

SALT LAKE CITY (KUTV) — Salt Lake City has been named as one of Zillow’s hottest housing markets for 2025. It was the only ranked city in the western half of the United States. The closest city on the list was Kansas City, over 1,000 miles away. The city moves up 18 spots in the annual rankings. Housing researcher Dejan Eskic with the Kem C. Gardner Policy Institute found it surprising that Utah’s capitol city made the list.

Park City – As Vail Resorts and striking Park City Mountain ski patrolers negotiated Tuesday, the Utah resort town’s mayor and City Council urged the company to end the conflict “without further delay.” Mayor Nann Worel said in a statement that she and the Park City Council recognize that resort communities face significant livability challenges, and it is the workforce that all too often shoulders the weight of today’s economic pressures. Supporting a professional workforce is essential to the health, safety and vitality of the town, she said.

PARK CITY — In a few weeks, the streets here will fill with visitors attending the Sundance Film Festival. A few months after that, the Park Silly Sunday Market will draw thousands. And in nine years, the Winter Olympics will ski and slide into Park City. The town’s police chief, Wade Carpenter, said his officers protect dozens of special events every year. “We staff up every day during special events,” Carpenter said. The chief said that federal and state agencies keep Park City apprised of threats. As for someone driving through a crowd, like what happened on New Year’s Day in New[...]

SALT LAKE CITY – Utah House Speaker Mike Schultz wants state universities to come up with 10% budget cuts ahead of the upcoming legislative session.

With the return of the Winter Olympics and Paralympics to Utah in 2034, Utah’s business community should prepare for an unprecedented opportunity, with remarkable access to resources and state support.

Utah's growth is expected to continue in the years to come, though, at a slightly lower rate than in recent years, expanding by more than 500,000 and is expected to surpass 4 million by 2033.

Utah still ranks as one of the top ten most expensive states to buy a home in the U.S. However according to housing experts, building more starter homes could potentially combat this problem.