For over a century, the Steamboat Springs Chamber has been a driving force behind connecting businesses, convening leaders and championing policies that help our community grow and adapt, especially when environmental and economic challenges arise.

In partnership with Routt County Economic Development Partnership, the Chamber continued its annual tradition of bringing the community together to better understand where our economy is headed. On May 6, the Economic Summit gathered leading local and regional experts to give sessions exploring economic trends and shifting demographics, equipping attendees to make informed decisions for the rest of the year.

Water policy attorney James Eklund spoke about how the health of rivers, drought conditions, and other environmental changes are reshaping our economy, requiring us to adapt to nature. These realities affect local agriculture production, which in turn affects local food systems, restaurants and visitation. As a community with an economy supported heavily by sales tax and visitation, these ripple effects are significant.

Now more than ever, it’s crucial to recognize the relationship between the environment and local business. Following a dry winter season that brought softer visitation and lower than expected  sales tax collections, supporting local businesses is essential to sustaining jobs, fostering entrepreneurship and preserving the quality of life and community character that make Steamboat so special.

Outside of our local economy, Eklund discussed how the Colorado River’s average flows have fallen about 20% every year since 2000, and what this means for future water policy in the state and across the West. With drought and legislation threatening Colorado’s water rights, it’s crucial to know where our water comes from and where it’s going.

Beyond environmental impacts, Wade Buchanan, director of the Colorado Office of Just Transition, closely examined how the coal transition is changing how the region operates, with implications for jobs, public revenues and local tax base stability.

Other speakers, including Dr. Phyllis Resnick of the Colorado Futures Center at Colorado State University contributed insights into the factors influencing the local and state economic outlooks for 2026 and beyond. Parker White, director of the Colorado Competitive Council offered perspectives on legislation, and local philanthropy rounded out the discussion.

These conversations matter because 2026 already presents both uncertainty and opportunity as environmental conditions and national economic uncertainty continue to play a vital role in the success of our economy.

Challenges like these require leadership, strategy and collaboration, and that’s where the Chamber plays an important role.

Economic development in the Yampa Valley isn’t simply about growth for growth’s sake. It’s about creating opportunities, preserving our quality of life and ensuring our economy remains strong enough to support the people who live and work here.

We are proud to be both a connector and an advocate, helping elevate business voices and ensuring economic decisions are made with the long-term health of our community in mind.

Working for a collective understanding of our local economy doesn’t happen in isolation — it depends on the strength of our partnerships. Like any strong system in the Yampa Valley, we collaborate closely with organizations like the Routt County Economic Development Partnership, Main Street Steamboat Springs, Steamboat Mountain Village, the Yampa Valley Community Foundation and more to provide focused, valuable information, resources, tools and programs to the community.

A strong economy supports families, schools, infrastructure, nonprofits and the character of the place we all love. When we invest in economic development, we invest in the future of the Yampa Valley.