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Moab’s block on new lodging has stirred a hornet’s nest and caught the attention of state leaders

Moab • Local elected leaders’ halt to new commercial lodging construction in this overwhelmed tourist hot spot has enraged some property owners and raised alarms in the state Capitol.

Mayor Emily Niehaus acknowledged that local businesses and property owners, developers, real estate agents, investors and — more recently — state leaders are all wondering with concern, “What is Moab doing?”

Last month, Niehaus was summoned to Salt Lake City for two days of meetings with the Governor’s Office of Economic Development (GOED), the governor’s deputy chief of staff and Utah Senate President Stuart Adams to answer questions.