Economic development and territorial organization are the major responsibilities of local governments. In their role as public managers, they have long looked to the industrial sector as the traditional route to meeting their objectives. However, public strategies seem to be changing and sports activities, especially those that are practised outdoors, are drawing increasing attention from growth-oriented communities. The first part of this article reviews the problems faced by local governments in stimulating and maintaining economic growth and describes the potential for developing sports activities, especially outdoor activities. The second part illustrates this new model and analyzes the development of equestrian activities in the Basse-Normandie region. The strengths and weaknesses of this initiative are presented.