New Study Examines Regional Economic Impact of Race Course, SPAC, Casino, National Park

by Thomas Dimopoulos Saratoga TODAY

SARATOGA COUNTY —

The Saratoga County Industrial Development Agency this week released the results of a commissioned study to analyze the farreaching economic effects of the Saratoga Race Course, Saratoga Performing Arts Center, Saratoga Casino Hotel, and the Saratoga National Historical Park.

The study examines the economic impacts of the four Saratoga County major tourism drivers to a nine-county study region that includes Albany, Columbia, Greene, Montgomery, Rensselaer, Saratoga, Schenectady, Warren, and Washington counties. The analysis provides a comparative breakdown of economic impacts such as jobs, attendance, and spending, and includes the direct impact of each destination, as well as the indirect and induced spillover impacts.

In total, these destinations contributed 5,770 jobs, $266.9 million associated employee earnings, and $647.6 million in annual sales in 2021, according to the report.

The “direct impacts” include the on-site operations of the destinations, as well as visitor spending. Indirect and induced impacts capture the spillover impact from the activity, including supply chain and employee spendingrelated impacts.

“The results of the Economic Analysis of these tourism sectors provide a positive forecast that