A new Common Sense Institute (CSI) report found that $24.1 billion and hundreds of thousands of jobs have been created by Arizona’s growing sports and tourism sectors.
According to the report, the sports and tourism sector employs 11% of Arizona’s total workforce and accounts for over 6% of the state’s total gross domestic product.
The state now boasts professional teams in each of the top four sports leagues in the United States, over 30 state parks and a staggering 24 national parks, including the Grand Canyon. According to CSI, Arizona’s temperate climate and numerous attractions put the state in a prime position to attract year-round tourists for major sporting events like the Super Bowl and the World Championship Phoenix Open, as well as outdoor pursuits like golfing and hiking.
Of the $24.2 billion contributed by sports and tourism, $13.7 billion was from “direct sales by Arizona’s hotels, casinos, venues and other components of the state’s sports and tourism sector in 2022.” generated. One hundred and sixty-seven thousand workers are currently directly employed by companies in the sports and tourism sectors, with almost another 200,000 jobs indirectly supported.
According to Katie Ratlief, executive director of the Common Sense Institute, “Arizona’s temperate climate, excellent hospitality and large event spaces have made it a popular tourism destination.”
“This growing sector is a huge contributor to our economy and major events like this weekend’s Super Bowl will only continue the momentum. Arizona hospitality is truly the ‘welcome mat’ for millions of visitors to our state,” she said.
The CSI report notes that the sector has not yet peaked. The think tank estimates that Arizona’s sports and tourism sectors will grow at an average of 3% per year over the next 10 years. As Arizona hosts its fourth Super Bowl since 1996, the state’s ability to consistently attract major events will allow the sector to grow in the future.
When Arizona last hosted the Super Bowl in 2015, the Arizona Sports and Tourism Administration noted that the event alone contributed more than $719 million. CSI and other observers are predicting that Super Bowl LVII will prove to be an even bigger event that will add even more to Arizona’s growing economy once the dust settles.
The Super Bowl also provided Arizona with a chance to showcase its friendly business environment, as the Arizona Commerce Authority and the hosting committee welcomed CEOs from across the country to a CEO forum to learn more about why Arizona is a great place to do business to build a company.
Arizona Chamber of Commerce and Industry President and CEO Danny Seiden moderated a panel on the state’s workers, which included Presidents of UArizona and Northern Arizona University, Arizona State University Executive Vice President Sally Morton, and the Pima Community College Chancellor Lee Lambert shared an insider look at how their schools are preparing grads for today’s economy.
“The CEO Forum is the perfect opportunity for business leaders from across the country and even the world to get an up-close look at why Arizona has one of the strongest and most dynamic economies in the nation,” said Seiden. “It’s just one example of how the sports tourism market is about much more than what’s happening on the pitch.”
Like many other industries, the sports and tourism sectors have been hit hard by the 2020 pandemic. But since then, the sector has come back even stronger than ever.
Kim Sabow, vice chair of the Arizona Sports and Tourism Authority Board and president and CEO of the Arizona Lodging and Tourism Association, said the sector has faced pandemic-related headwinds recently, but hosting the Super Bowl brings tremendous momentum
“Arizona’s sports and tourism industry has weathered many challenges over the past three years,” she said. “Thanks to our operators and our dedicated employees, we have come out stronger from the other side. This weekend is an opportunity to highlight the value and contributions of our industry to an international audience, and the CSI report shows this is an industry that is having a massive ripple effect across Arizona.”
To learn more about the Common Sense Institute, click here.
Comments are closed.