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Tug Hill Partners Receive Snowmobile Economic Impact
Study Results
Published: July 08, 2021 at
09:30 p.m.
By: Press Release from Lewis County IDA
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: July 8, 2021
CONTACT: Jenna Kraeger
Economic Development Specialist
Lewis County IDA | Naturally Lewis
P. 315.376.3014 E. jenna@naturallylewis.com
Tug Hill Partners Receive Snowmobile Economic Impact
Study Results
LEWIS COUNTY, NY – New
York’s Tug Hill region’s expansive snowmobile trails contribute to the
regional economy through visitor spending on lodging, food, entertainment,
gas, equipment, and other retail. Lewis County in partnership with
Jefferson County Economic Development, the Lewis County Chamber of
Commerce, Oneida County Tourism, Oswego County Community Development,
Tourism and Planning, Operation Oswego County, the Tug Hill Commission and
several area snowmobile clubs, contracted with the
Center for Community Studies at Jefferson Community College (JCC) and Camoin 310 to undertake an economic impact study of
snowmobiling in the Tug Hill region.
This study
considers the economic impacts, in terms of jobs, wages, and sales, that
would not occur but for the snowmobile activity. Fiscal benefits include
the property tax, sales tax, and occupancy tax revenue that are generated
from this activity.
Throughout early
2021, a survey was conducted to evaluate the impact of snowmobile user
spending on the Tug Hill region. The Center for Community Studies at
Jefferson Community College (JCC) developed this survey to gather
information related to snowmobile users, including number of visits, spending
habits, location of origin, and feedback on the trail network. In
total, 2,416 surveys were completed.
Tug Hill Region
Economic and Fiscal Impact Highlights:
- There are 35,254 unique snowmobile users of
Tug Hill trails each year
- 52% of unique users are non-local users, from
outside of the Tug Hill region
- Non-local users spend a total of 347,337 days
in the Tug Hill region each year and participate in activities beyond
snowmobiling, including dining out and local events/festivals
- A non-local snowmobile user spends on average
$192 per day
- In total, 866 jobs, over $28.8 million in
wages (earnings), and nearly $81.6 million in sales are attributed to
snowmobile activity
- Total tax revenue that results from
snowmobile activity is estimated to be nearly $445,000 in Lewis County
each year
Each year, the
Tug Hill region attracts riders from across the region and beyond thanks to
its extensive snowmobile system and plentiful snow. Notably, the snowmobile
trails in the Tug Hill region and throughout Jefferson, Lewis, Oneida, and
Oswego counties are entirely volunteer maintained – a
significant undertaking without which the industry and its associated
impacts would not exist.
“The snowmobile
industry has been steadily growing in the Tug Hill region due to the hard
work of our local snowmobile clubs, as well as the generosity of landowners
who open their land to our expansive trail system,” said Brittany Davis,
Executive Director of Lewis County Economic Development. “Results from the
economic impact study will allow the region to prioritize strategies to
continue to support and expand the industry that continues to contribute so
much to our local economy.”
Read the full
report online at naturallylewis.com/news/tug-hill-snowmobile-study-results
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