In addition to the physical health promotion of swimming, there is also a significant economic impact that can be recognized for the state and local communities thereby promoting job creation and improved living. A similar project was undertaken by the city of Greensboro, NC. In 2012 they completed construction on an aquatic facility that M2S is modeled after.
An “Impact Analysis of the Greensboro Coliseum Complex for the 2012 Operating Year” on Greensboro & Guilford County, North Carolina and the surround area, was conducted by the Strom Thurmond Institute Clemson University in August, 2013. The Greensboro Coliseum Complex includes six separate facilities, one of which is the Greensboro Aquatic Center (GAC) for which FY 2012 was the first full year of operation and is also modeled separately from the remainder of the complex.
The GAC employed 70 full and part-time workers in 2012. GAC operations generate a total estimated impact of 74 jobs in Guilford County, all of which are projected to be located in Greensboro. These jobs create just over $500,000 in additional disposable income for households in the county, of which $278,000 is projected to remain with households in Greensboro; this distribution is largely due to some of the individuals who may work in Greensboro not residing in the city. The total economic impact on output is estimated to exceed $1.3 million for Guilford County, of which nearly $735,000 is produced by businesses in Greensboro. The output multiplier for the GAC is approximately 1.20; in other words, every $1,000 spent by the GAC on operations is estimated to generate an additional $200 of output in Guilford County.
GAC patrons in 2012 numbered 120,884, of which an estimated 90,569 were overnight visitors. Visitors to the GAC in 2012 are estimated to have created between 141 and 150 jobs in Guilford County through their consumer spending, including between 78 and 83 jobs in Greensboro. This spending contributed $2.4 to $2.6 million in disposable income for households in the county ($1.3 to $1.4 million within Greensboro) and $7.7 to $8.2 million in total output ($4.2 to $4.5 million in Greensboro). County and municipal governments in Guilford County netted approximately $544,000 to $572,000 in revenue, including $321,500 to $409,800 going to Greensboro city government. The state government netted an estimated $907,000 to $968,000 in revenues.
The Economic study above was completed after only the first year of operations for GAC. The projections for the next 3-5 years based on the number of events booked are approximately 2X- 3X their current economic growth. Move2Swim has estimated a similar growth impact for the surrounding Mass and RI communities based on the level of verbal commitments received, and the number of local and national events that need to be booked but have limited facilities that can meet their requirements.