More than just a pleasant place to while away the day, or coo and fawn over its famous baby giraffe, the Greenville Zoo also is an important part of the local economy, a new study indicates.
A recent economic impact study completed by the Clemson University Strom Thurmond Institute shows the Greenville Zoo contributes $9.4 million annually to the area.
“We felt it was important to capture how much the Greenville Zoo means to the Upstate community,” said Elizabeth Geer, chairwoman of the Friends of the Greenville Zoo board, in a press release. “This serves as a baseline as we go forward.”
The Clemson study also places the Greenville Zoo’s annual attendance between 250,000 and 300,000 visitors per year and its economic impact creates approximately 151 jobs within the Greenville Zoo’s market.
The zoo’s impact on the Greenville County economy over the years 2012-2025 is projected to average 193 jobs, $11.3 million in output, and $4.2 million in aggregated disposable household income in each year, according to the study. Local governments are projected to average $573,000 per year in net revenue.
The Greenville Zoo has operated within the city of Greenville since 1960. While the zoo draws visitors from around the Upstate and from the rest of South Carolina and other states, no prior attempt has been made to quantify the impact that the zoo has on the Greenville County economy or on local government revenues.
The study was commissioned by the Friends of the Greenville Zoo, a non-profit organization whose purpose is to provide financial resource and advocacy support for the needs of the zoo. This study complements the 20-year Zoo master plan that is currently in development through a partnership between the City of Greenville and the “Friends.” This plan will redefine the Greenville Zoo and will ensure positive future growth and expansion.
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Greenville Zoo an Economic Engine for Local Economy
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