ORIR Meets with Secretary of the Interior to Tout Public-Private Partnerships

Members of the Outdoor Recreation Industry Roundtable (ORIR) met with Secretary of the Interior Ryan Zinke, and members of Congress to discuss the value of public-private partnerships on public lands and waters.

The ORIR identified nearly 30 areas for immediate private investment on public lands that could occur if Congress changed the rules for such investment. The projects identified would total more than an $80 million investment and represent just the first of potentially thousands of projects.

Public-private partnerships are not new as there are marinas, boat rentals, lodges and many other activities on public lands that are privately operated; however, the ORIR would like to see an expansion in the availability of such partnerships.

The outdoor recreation industry generates $887 billion in direct spending and supports 7.6 million jobs in the U.S. with recreational boating providing an estimated 472,000 jobs and producing $36 billion in expenditures each year.
Following the meeting was a showcase of American-made outdoor recreation equipment that was part of “Made in America” week in Washington, D.C., Chaparral, Sea Ray, and Tracker Boats, and their respective dealers, Hoffmaster’s Marina, Prince William Marine Sales, and Bass Pro Shops, provided boats for the display, which also included RV’s, off-road vehicles, fishing gear and more.