Gov. Spencer Cox launched the "Utah Elevated" strategy to steer the state's next 10 years of economic growth, casting it as a bid to win talent, capital and business investment against rival states and countries.
The plan puts the Governor's Office of Economic Development at the center of that effort, coordinating agencies and industry rather than directly creating jobs, Commissioner Jefferson Moss said.
Three pillars anchor the strategy: Utah's outdoors-driven experience economy, its creative economy led by film and arts, and an innovation economy spanning entrepreneurship, deep tech, aerospace, defense and energy.
State officials also plan to knit together separate tourism and film programs, study each sector's economic contribution, and work with the Nucleus Institute to link innovators, educators and government.
The 2034 Winter Olympics and Paralympics are a key long-range hook, with Utah aiming to use the games' global spotlight to attract more international businesses and investment.
Can Utah leverage the 2034 Olympics for lasting prosperity without sacrificing its unique quality of life?
Will Utah's high-tech initiatives create widespread opportunity or widen the state's economic and social divide?
How will Utah's 'Elevated' plan balance aggressive economic growth with the urgent need to restore the Great Salt Lake?