Estimating the Local Economic Impacts of Recreation at Corps of Engineers Projects - 1996

Abstract : This report presents separate project-level estimates of the economic effects of visitor spending within local regions surrounding Corps of Engineers (CE) projects. In 1996, visitors to CE projects spent over $5.5 billion on trip-related goods and services in local regions (within 48 km (30 miles)) around CE projects. This spending was associated with over $3.2 in income and 163 thousand jobs in these local regions. It is recognized that significant visitor spending and associated economic activity occur outside the regions adjacent to CE projects. However, it is important to understand local economic effects because they may be particularly sensitive to management actions affecting recreation-use patterns and spending behavior.