Tennis and the Arts are Key to Growth

Full article: 

Tennis nd the Arts are Key to Growth

What are the most important characteristics of vibrant metropolitan communities?  Few people would debate that in today’s world, quality schools, safety and efficient transportation should be near the top of the list.  However, arts, cultural and entertainment attractions would be, by most accounts, also at the top of the list.  These types of events and venues are critical to the vibrancy of a region, providing an essential ingredient of the “social-cultural infrastructure” that helps define the area.  Arts, cultural and entertainment attractions provide important, quality-of-life choices and opportunities for all citizens.  It is rare to find a healthy metropolitan area that has not invested significantly in them.

There are additional benefits of arts, cultural and entertainment attractions that go beyond those enjoyed by local patrons and fans. Economists often point to the important economic impact that these attractions have on a geographic region.  In large part, this impact is driven by out-of-town visitors who inject new money into our economy.  When a community improves attractions that appeal to their own residents, the attractions bring in more people from other areas.  Our region recently hosted two tennis tournaments which together attracted more than 200,000 fans.  As these events have gained visibility and the venue has improved over the years, the tennis tournaments have seen dramatic increases in the number of out-of-town fans.  This year, nearly all 50 states and at least eight foreign countries were represented in the ticket-purchasing crowd.

Visitor spending goes beyond the ticket cost to attend performances.  The majority of the spending is for dining, lodging, and shopping in local stores.  This year, the men’s tennis tournament booked 5,223 room nights for fans, players and sponsors.  There were likely tens of thousands more booked by fans who didn’t reserve rooms through the tournament. These figures increased dramatically since 1995, when the tournament booked a total of only 649 room nights.

According to studies conducted by the Economics Center for Education & Research, in 2005 the eighteen arts organizations associated with the Fine Arts Fund had a total economic impact to our region of nearly $200 million. The total economic activity supported close to 3,300 full and part time jobs.  Spending by out-of-town arts patrons alone accounts for 25 percent of these figures. These organizations, plus the operations of organizations such as our Zoo, the Museum Center, the Freedom Center, professional sports and regional festivals, push the economic impact to the region beyond $1 billion.

A region’s cultural and tourist attractions bring economic assets, excitement, pride and opportunities for residents.  When quality events and entertainment destinations are improved, greater numbers of people come from outside the region to visit and live, adding to its vibrancy, its wealth and employment.