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February 17, 2005

Star of Texas Fair and Rodeo Report Claims More Economic Impact for Austin Than ACL Festival and SXSW Combined

Despite the media buzz that Austin City Limits Festival and SXSW attract, the Star of Texas Fair and Rodeo, which takes place for two weeks at the end of March (March 12-26th this year), commissioned a report (PDF format) that affirms the rodeo generates more economic impact for Austin than both of those festivals combined. Despite drawing from a more regional state audience, the report (commissioned from locally based Texas Perspectives) estimates that it generates $45.6 million in economic impact for the city as opposed to the combined $30.6 million generated by its two more famous cousins. And “the Rodeo,” as it dubs itself, has grown from 160,000 attendees in 2000 to over 325,000 in 2004.

On the other hand, the $30.6 million figure cited in the report may be open to question, as the SXSW site reports it generated $29.3 million alone at last year's conference and festival. And according to this Austin Music Commission report, last year's ACL Festival had an economic impact of $20 million on the local economy. According to the report, the average Rodeo participant is estimated to spend $150 per day, while the average ACL participant spends $216 per day, and the average SXSW participant $264 per day. In addition, the Rodeo lasts a week longer than the combined durations of both the other festivals.

Posted by timothompson at February 17, 2005 02:31 PM