Utah Lake marketing campaign, visitor research and recreation plan highlighted at authority meeting

The Utah Lake Authority on Aug. 6 detailed a yearlong market-research program, an ongoing public-facing campaign and a recreation access plan it says is informing near-term upgrades across lake access points. Zoe (market researcher) summarized a research program that included a large-scale perception survey, intercept surveys at access points, in-person interviews and focus groups. She said the outreach effort has converted some negative perceptions: “they're actually doing what people are asking,” she told the board when describing improved net-promoter-like scores among intercept survey respondents. Director Luke Peterson and other staff presented an accompanying economic-impact study that the authority said estimates roughly $74.3 million in trip expenditures tied to visitors and cited additional impacts to jobs and labor income (the presentation included detailed tables available on request). Luke told the board the authority’s Utah Lake Is My Lake campaign achieved unusually high online engagement: click-through rates of 5–8% on paid ads, which staff said exceed typical benchmarks. Staff described immediate initiatives shaped by public input: a PR campaign with educational videos about water quality; monthly carp-removal events and outreach (sometimes called “carp hunts”) that include cash incentives; and a recreation access plan that catalogues facility and amenity needs across shorelines, including litter management, trail maintenance and beach amenities. Zoe said intercept surveys at 35 access points yielded 365 respondents and over 100 pieces of written feedback that informed more than 50 opportunity recommendations. Recreation and operations staff reported progress on signage plans, a lakeside trail feasibility study (Provo Bay to West Mountain), vehicle counters at 33 sites to estimate visitation, partnerships for trail amenities (bike racks, benches and repair stations), and coordination with search-and-rescue and law-enforcement partners for water-safety improvements. Public commenters used the meeting’s public-comment period to request improved navigability on the Spanish Fork River, a boat ramp near Thanksgiving Point, and other local access improvements; staff responded that a ramp off Willow Park near the new Primary Children's facility is planned within roughly 18 months. Board members and staff also discussed volunteer, event and education programming tied to the outreach campaign. Staff said federal appropriations requests from the congressional delegation—if included in a final federal budget—could fund elements such as the nature center and recreation improvements. Staff and the board emphasized that outreach materials and the campaign toolkit will be shared with member cities to amplify public education on recreation and lake stewardship.