ROCK SPRINGS — The Sweetwater County Fair Board members received a printout of the economic benefits of Sweetwater Events Complex activities at their meeting this week.
Based upon off-track betting and historical horse racing machines, live horse racing alone brought in $903,535.50 to Rock Springs and Sweetwater County from 2014-2017, the Stakeholder figures estimated. For 2017 the figure was $335,476.55.
Average expenditure per day for a local hotel guest came to $98, according to the Stakeholder figures. Campground guests each spent an average of $64/day, while friends and family kicked in $42/day.
The average night’s stay for visitors to Rock Springs and Sweetwater County was 2.2, and average party size was also 2.2.
Given the nine percent increase in participation in the National High School Finals Rodeo since it first came to Rock Springs, the total local economic impact of the 2018, 2019 and 2024 & 2025 NHSFRs was pegged at $34,751,853.
The Wyoming Office of Tourism estimated the following Sweetwater County Travel Impacts for 2016:
- $34.5 million from hotel/motel guests
- $30.8 million from food services to visitors
- $8.2 million from visitor food store purchases
- $21.2 million from transportation/gas
- $16.9 million from arts, entertainment & recreation
- $18.8 million from overall retail sales by visitors
The Sweetwater Events Complex took credit for a big chunk of those figures. Pendleton said that event recruitment is continuing.
Upcoming events include the 2018 Wyoming State High School Finals Rodeo, the Tiffin Motor Coach Rally in August 2019, Escapees Recreational Vehicle Rally in June 2020, Wally Byam Airstream Club—June/July 2020, and Family Motor Coach Association—July 2022.
