August 2022 - Parks & Recreation - 16

RESEARCH
Delving Further Into the Economic Impact of
Local Parks
By Kevin Roth
L
ast month's research column highlighted our latest edition of NRPA's
The Economic Impact of Local Parks report (nrpa.org/Economic
Impact). The study, conducted by Dr. Terry Clower of the Center for
Regional Analysis at George Mason University, finds that local park
and recreation agencies' operations and capital spending generated nearly
$218 billion in economic activity and supported 1.3 million jobs across the
United States in 2019. The study's findings emphasize how parks and recreation
drive significant economic activity in communities across the nation.
The report also features economic
impact estimates for all 50 states
and the District of Columbia. The
nation's four most populated states
see substantial economic impacts
from their local park and recreation
agencies. Specifically, the economic
impact and supported employment
from park and recreation agencies'
operations and capital spending in
2019 from the four largest states are:
* California with $23.6 billion in
economic activity and supporting
127,600 jobs
* Florida with $15.9 billion in economic
activity and supporting
97,501 jobs
* New York with $14.1 billion in
economic activity and supporting
77,105 jobs
* Texas with $12.1 billion in economic
activity and supporting
77,149 jobs
On the other end of the spectrum,
the five states seeing the most modest
economic benefit from park and
recreation agency spending are:
* Alaska with $397.9 million in
economic activity and supporting
2,436 jobs
* New Hampshire with $314.5
million in economic activity and
supporting 2,158 jobs
* Maine with $303.2 million in
economic activity and supporting
2,464 jobs
* Vermont with $245.8 million in
economic activity and supporting
1,519 jobs
* Rhode Island with $223.6 million
in economic activity and
supporting 1,459 jobs
All five states share something in
common - a relatively small population.
But the economic impact
of parks and recreation is substantial
in each of those states, too. Another
way to rank states is by the
economic impact after
adjusting
for population, which provides a
different list of the states that benefit
most from their local and regional
park agencies' spending. The top
five states for economic activity
arising from park and recreation
agency operations
and capital
spending on a per capita basis are:
* Nevada: $3,586 per capita
* District of Columbia: $2,092 per
capita
* North Dakota: $1,567 per capita
* Colorado: $1,209 per capita
* Hawaii: $950 per capita
Similarly, the top five states in terms
of employment supported by park
and recreation agency spending are:
16 Parks & Recreation | A UGUS T 2 0 22 | PARK S ANDRECRE AT ION . OR G
* Nevada: 18.81 jobs supported
per 1,000 residents
* District of Columbia: 9.26 jobs
supported per 1,000 residents
* North Dakota: 8.80 jobs supported
per 1,000 residents
* Colorado: 7.27 jobs supported
per 1,000 residents
* Wyoming: 6.42 jobs supported
per 1,000 residents
Several factors beyond population
can influence the economic impact
of park and recreation agency expenditures.
Of course, the most obvious
factor is the size of operations and
capital spending. The George Mason
University work relies on estimates
of park and recreation agency
expenditures and employment from
annual U.S. Census Bureau surveys
of local governments.
The key takeaway from the
state-level analysis is that states large,
small and everything
in between
experience significant economic
benefits generated from their local
park and recreation agencies. When
combined with the ability to deliver
healthier and happier communities,
the full impact parks and recreation
has on economic activity highlights
that
park and recreation
agency
offerings are not merely a " nice-tohave, "
luxury government service.
Instead, the field of parks and recreation
transforms our cities, towns
and counties into vibrant and prosperous
communities for all.
Kevin Roth is NRPA's Vice President of
Research, Evaluation and Technology
(kroth@nrpa.org).
http://www.nrpa.org/EconomicImpact http://www.nrpa.org/EconomicImpact
August 2022 - Parks & Recreation

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of August 2022 - Parks & Recreation
