The Economic Impact of the National Underground Railroad Freedom Center
Prepared for:
National Underground Railroad Freedom Center 
The National Underground Railroad Freedom Center is well known as a cultural institution and tourist attraction, increasing the visibility of the city of Cincinnati. The economic impact of the Freedom Center on the local economy is less well known. The Freedom Center contributes to the area economy through its employment of local resources, including labor. In addition, the Freedom Center also promotes the inflow of money from other regions by attracting out-of-town visitors to the area. Besides non-local visitor spending on-site at the Freedom Center, these visitors also patronize other area businesses, particularly restaurants, hotels and retail, which generates additional value to the local economy.
In addition to the local spending by visitors to the Freedom Center, as well as its own spending to produce and maintain its exhibits and host private events, the Freedom Center contributes to the local economy through increasing the local household incomes of the businesses and industries that support the Freedom Center and its visitors.
The Freedom Center raises the cultural profile of the region and is a cultural amenity that is a key element of an economic development strategy for attracting high-skilled, high-income workers for service and technology oriented industries. Thus, Freedom Center creates economic value and activity far beyond its own spending and revenue generation.
The purpose of this study is to assess the economic impacts of the Freedom Center on the local economy. Additionally, this study provides a brief review of the place based economic theory of economic development and describes the importance of cultural amenities, such as the Freedom Center, for attracting high-skilled workers to the Cincinnati area.
Executive Summary:
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