Jeep is the “Official 4x4 of Moab” after Moab City councilors approved a sponsorship agreement at the Sept. 8 council meeting.
Under the agreement with FCA US LLC, Jeep will be able to market itself as the “Official 4×4 of Moab,” with the city receiving financial compensation in direct and indirect support.
After an overview of how much and where the funds from the partnership would go, the council voted 4-0 in favor, with Councilor Jason Taylor recusing himself to avoid the perception of a conflict since he’s the operation manager of Moab Adventure Center and owner of Canyonlands Jeep and Car Rentals.
What Moab gets out of it
Jeep will receive the right to market its brand for two years as the “Official 4×4 of Moab.” In exchange, the city will receive $125,000 each year in unrestricted funding, which can be spent in any way the city wishes. City Manager Michael Black suggested using a portion of the funding to add a half-time employee to the Arts and Special Events department to offset the additional workload created by the partnership.
The remainder of the $125,000 would go to the city’s general fund, with councilors determining how it is spent through the budget process.
Jeep will also provide indirect financial support that includes $100,000 in value annually through five loaned Jeeps for the city to use, plus trail stewardship and restoration support. It will also include the sponsorship of two community events.
One of the events will be the yearly Red Rock Arts Festival at the end of September.
Kelley McInerney, Arts and Special Events director, who will be working closely with Jeep throughout the partnership, says this event is a natural fit for Jeep to step in and sponsor, as it is a free arts event centered on the local community while still being accessible to visitors.
McInerney said they still plan to work with local businesses for the festival, but that partnering with Jeep allows them to grow a bit bigger, as well as cover costs for marketing the event.
The second community event for the first year is a Moab 125 Year Celebration, marking Moab’s incorporation on Dec. 30, 1902.
Mayor Joette Langianese encouraged hosting a 125th event in the winter to prioritize locals as well as give potential tourists a chance to experience Moab in the winter.
“I think this is an event that is really tied to our community, and doing it in the winter is kind of cool,” Langianese said.
(City of Moab) The first Easter Jeep Safari was held in 1967.
The compensation will also fund a currently unplanned multi-day event in 2028.
Trail stewardship projects will be separate from the community events. McInerney said the city intends to work with existing local organizations to identify projects where Jeep’s resources could be useful.
Finally, Jeep will provide marketing support valued at over $10 million annually. A figure that, Black noted, is roughly five times what the Moab Office of Tourism currently works with.
Moving forward with the partnership
Black emphasized the close ties Jeep has had with Moab for decades, insisting that they want to continue to nurture that relationship.
“I do think they’ll be interested after the two years to continue doing this,” Black said, emphasizing that Jeep is “very tied to this community.”
Councilor Miles Loftin described the agreement as an opportunity for Moab to receive something in return from companies that already use images of the region and surrounding landscapes to promote their brands, with Councilor Kaitlin Myers echoing this sentiment.
Loftin and Councilor Colin Topper voiced concerns about the city’s identity being overwhelmed by corporate sponsorship and emphasized the need to protect Moab’s values, though both acknowledged the partnership offers many interesting advantages.
Loftin questioned how much influence the council and community would have over marketing produced under the partnership, particularly given Jeep’s estimate that it could provide more than $10 million in annual marketing exposure.
Black said city staff, working with the Moab Office of Tourism and other partners, would review and approve advertising produced through the partnership. Jeep would likely handle the actual production, he said, while seeking feedback from Moab.
Black agreed that staff could bring projects to the council earlier in the process so council members could provide input before advertising was completed.
Ultimately, councilors viewed the two-year pilot as an exciting opportunity to test the partnership and decide if it’s worth continuing.
“Two years is a good opportunity to see where this goes, to work some of the kinks out, and then talk more long-term if the council is still interested in doing that,” said Black.
This story was first published by The Times-Independent.