OGDEN, Utah - When Mayor Matthew Godfrey looks around a downtown that railroads built then abandoned, he sees rock-climbing walls, a sky-diving wind tunnel, a kayaking park. The future of his city of 82,000, he believes, is outdoors.

Since he took office in 2000, Godfrey has attracted about a dozen recreational gear and clothing manufacturers to Ogden, at the foot of the Wasatch Mountains about 35 miles north of Salt Lake City.

The companies, such as Amer Sports Corp., which owns Atomic, Salomon and Suunto, have acted as a catalyst, bringing vacationers who bike in the foothills and ski on slopes used during the 2002 Olympics. The city is a cheaper destination than nearby Park City or Vail, in Colorado.

With a 125,000-square-foot recreation center acting as an anchor, Ogden has reclaimed a huge swath of its crumbling center, filling it with restaurants, galleries and shops. The city has embraced projects that include a water park and mountain bike trails.

"We want to build our work force and our tax base and be known as the mecca for outdoors sports," Godfrey said.

In some ways, Godfrey's campaign mirrors efforts in other communities, from skiing and rock climbing in Boulder, Colo., to the $14 million adventure sports complex in McHenry in Western Maryland.

"The fashion of adventure sports is the next big step in the outdoors industry," said Matt Taylor, a two-time Olympic paddler who runs Adventure Sports Center International, overlooking Deep Creek Lake and the Wisp ski resort. "People are thinking: 'I love the lifestyle. How can I make a living at it?'"

Godfrey, however, wants to do more than just build a tourism base and spirit away existing businesses. In a partnership with Utah universities and a venture capitalist, he launched Grow Utah Ventures, a contest that today will pick two entrepreneurs - one local and one from out of state - to help them develop their ideas.

"The growth in the outdoors industry is coming from start-ups," Godfrey said. "We want to be a part of that, and that requires a commitment to recruit, develop and retain them."

The contest winners, chosen by a panel of industry leaders, could be an inventor with a prototype or someone with nothing more than a good idea.

"If it's just a concept, we realize there could be a three- to five-year timeline for a significant reward. Historically, we know they have a 90percent failure rate," Godfrey said.

Grow Utah Ventures hopes to improve the odds by supplying a healthy helping of expertise. Ogden has set aside office space near established outdoors companies. Zions Bank is providing $40,000 in seed money. Experts at the University of Utah, Utah State and Weber State will advise the fledgling businesses. Venture capitalist Alan Hall will help devise marketing and sales plans.

"We're filling a vacuum," said Hall, founder of MarketStar Corp. "State government brings in big companies but doesn't really get involved with entrepreneurs. Entrepreneurs need money, connections and networks and to become part of a community that understands those needs. Every city has to find a way to be different. What Ogden is doing resonates with people who embrace the outdoors."

One of the start-ups hoping to win is year-old Klymit, which has developed outdoor clothing that uses pressurized argon gas to provide wafer-thin insulation that can be adjusted for temperature and level of exertion. Founder Nate Adler, 25, adapted technology used by cold-water divers, who fill their dry suits with argon for added protection.

"In 2006, I thought argon was a character in 'Lord of the Rings.' I never took chemistry, and I didn't even know what inert gases were," said Adler, a graduate of Brigham Young University. "In 2007, we were just a business on paper, but we placed well in a school [innovation] competition. That gave us hope."

By February of this year, Klymit had a prototype to show. Three companies have indicated interest in using the argon technology in jackets, boots, snow pants and sleeping bags, said Adler, an avid snowboarder and skier.

He hopes Klymit will have products to sell by next fall.

"The money and services offered by the contest is a wonderful thing. For us, the most valuable asset is the exposure. This would let us come to the forefront of the industry," he said. "The outdoors and Ogden are a great fit. Who wouldn't want to be in Ogden right now?"