PhenomeCon in Vernal: A Paranormal Conference, Tourism Promises, and the Debate Over Public Funding

To the point

An investigative report looks at PhenomeCon, a Vernal paranormal conference tied to Skinwalker Ranch that covers UFOs, Bigfoot, ghosts, and cattle mutilations; Stephanie Tippets recounts a black triangle sighting, Lesha Coltharp explains funding mainly from hotel‑motel taxes with ticket sales not fully covering costs, leaving about $24,000 in losses over two years, Vernal officials claim about a $1 million economic impact that critics question, Uintah County owns the PhenomeCon trademark and says the event brings high‑profile speakers and jobs—paying Dr. Travis Taylor $10,604 and Skinwalker Ranch supervisor Tom Winterton $3,457 in 2022—while Expanding Frontiers argues public funding of a paranormal festival spreads misinformation and could harm mental health, though Coltharp and Winterton defend it as a legitimate tourism draw and say content need not be scientifically proven; the 2023 edition was planned for Sept. 6–9 with a budget around $150,000, as Vernal leans on its identity as the gateway to Dinosaur National Monument.