Economic Impact of 2012 World Choir Games Announced
July 8, 2010
$73.5 million to Cincinnati USA
Cincinnati (OH), July 8, 2010: The World Choir Games 2012, Inc. and the Cincinnati USA Convention & Visitors Bureau announced today that the estimated economic impact of the 2012 World Choir Games is $73.5 million, which includes direct and indirect spending of $21.1 million from event operations, $26.7 million by the expected 20,000 participants and $25.7 million by projected visitors. In addition, more than $1.8 million in new tax revenue is expected to be collected by various local governments as a result of direct and indirect spending for the event.
The estimated economic impact of the 2012 World Choir Games was provided by the Economics Center for Education and Research, University of Cincinnati.
“There isn’t a single event that’s bigger,” says Jeff Rexhausen, associate director of research for the Economics Center for Education and Research. “The magnitude of this impact would rank the World Choir Games ahead of the year-round impact of almost every indoor arts, culture or recreation venue in the region.”
As many as 20,000 participants from more than 70 countries and 200,000 spectators are expected to attend the 2012 World Choir Games, the largest choral festival in the world. Cincinnati was awarded the 2012 World Choir Games in June 2009 after an international bid process involving 20 other cities. Cincinnati will be the first American city ever to host this event. It has previously been held in Austria (twice), Germany, China and Korea. The 2010 World Choir Games is being held in Shaoxing, China, from July 15-26.
“The World Choir Games in 2012 is the largest convention booking in the history of our region. It is the largest arts event ever held here. It is also the largest international event in Cincinnati’s history. We knew from the moment we became involved in the extensive bid process this event would be big for Cincinnati USA in terms of international exposure, civic pride and economic impact.” says Dan Lincoln, president & CEO of the Cincinnati USA Convention & Visitors Bureau and President & CEO of World Choir Games 2012, Inc., the non-profit corporation formed to organize the event.
Economic Impact Report Summary: According to a study by the Economics Center for Education and Research at the University of Cincinnati, the 2012 World Choir Games will produce a total economic impact of $73.5 million for the Cincinnati USA* economy, which will include $22.3 million in household earnings. All together, these economic activities will generate more than $1.8 million in tax revenues for the City of Cincinnati, Hamilton County and other local governments within the metropolitan area. Through the attraction of 20,000 participants and 200,000 spectators, mostly from outside the area, the World Choir Games will bring new money into the region, replenishing and expanding the Cincinnati USA economy.
- Games Operations: Direct spending associated with the organization and running of the World Choir Games is projected at $10 million. The economic impact of this spending is $21.1 million.
- Spending by Participants: Based on projections of 20,000 participants (choir members, jurors and other delegation officials) who are anticipated to account for 45,000 hotel room nights, direct spending of $13.4 million results in an economic impact of $26.7 million.
- Spending by Spectators: The combined events of the 2012 World Choir Games are expected to attract 200,000 spectators. Considering that spectators will attend multiple events, the estimated total of visitors is 90,000, with 65 percent (58,500) of them being visitors from outside the Cincinnati USA region. These visitors are projected to directly spend $12.6 million generating $25.7 million in economic impact.
* Cincinnati USA is the Cincinnati-Hamilton Metropolitan Statistical Area, which includes the counties of Hamilton, Butler, Warren, Clermont and Brown in Ohio; Boone, Kenton, Campbell, Gallatin, Grant, Pendleton and Bracken in Kentucky; and Franklin, Dearborn and Ohio in Indiana.
Contacts:
Dan Lincoln, Cincinnati USA Convention & Visitors Bureau
T: 513.632.5372
E: dlincoln@CincyUSA.com
Jeff Rexhausen, Economics Center for Education and Research, University of Cincinnati
T: 513.556.3047,
E: rexjw@ucmail.uc.edu
Michael Perry, Vehr Communications
T: 513.381.8347
E: mperry@vehrcommunications.com
For More Information:
www.Interkultur.com
www.2012worldchoirgames.com
www.economicscenter.org/research/reports
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