By Staff 2-18,2016
Cheyenne Frontier Days refreshed an economic impact study to quantify the economic benefits generated from visitors outside of Laramie County to the City of Cheyenne and Laramie County. Dean Runyan Associates, of Portland, Oregon conducted the research using data generated from the 2015 event. Dean Runyan Associates has also conducted economic impact research for the Wyoming Office of Tourism.
The 2015 edition of the Daddy of ‘em All was successful by all measures. A total of 606,194 people attended all combined events during the ten-day celebration and a total of 266,575 tickets were sold.
Study data indicated that 149,300 individual and unique attendees came to the event with 125,397 from outside of Laramie County. These numbers are up 18% and 9% respectively from the 2012 economic impact study.
Economic impacts resulting from direct visitor spending surrounding the event totaled approximately $28 million, which is up from $25 million in 2012.
Chief Executive Officer Tom Hirsig said, “We are pleased to report an increased economic benefit to our city and county since the last economic impact study completed in 2012. Our mission is to bring visitors to Cheyenne and Laramie County to support economic well-being for the entire community. We are focused on this priority and delivering results.”
2015 Profile of Cheyenne Frontier Days Attendees
- The majority of Cheyenne Frontier Days attendees participated in a Frontier Nights/Concert (81%) and/or the Rodeo (63%).
- A large portion (71%) attended Cheyenne Frontier Days during a previous year.
- Attending Cheyenne Frontier Days was the primary purpose for travel to Laramie County for the vast majority of overnight (78.5%) and day (97.0%) visitors.
- More than half (59%) of Cheyenne Frontier Days attendees stayed overnight while traveling.
- Among overnight visitors, over half (60%) stayed in a hotel, motel, lodge, or B&B; most of the reminder stayed in private homes with friends and relatives, or in campgrounds.
- Cheyenne Frontier Days attendees traveled to or through a number of Wyoming communities and places including: Laramie, Casper, Yellowstone National Park, Jackson Hole, Snowy Range, and Cody.
2015 Economic impacts of visitors who reside outside of Laramie County
- Visitors to Cheyenne Frontier Days spent $28 million in Laramie County.
- These visitors spent approximately $5.3 million food and beverages in restaurants and bars, $3.7 million on overnight accommodations, $7.6 million on entertainment and recreation, including ticket sales, and $10.8 million on retail purchases, including motor fuel and groceries.
- Other direct economic impacts include approximately 300 full- and part-time jobs, $4.6 million in earnings (wage and salary disbursements), $549,000 in local tax revenue, and $649,000 in state tax revenue.
- Total economic impacts resulting from direct visitor spending which include secondary impacts, also known as “multiplier effects”, resulted in approximately $36.2 million of business activity generated for Laramie County.
Cheyenne Frontier Days is a major Rocky Mountain regional event with numerous
Western heritage activities and experiences; while some events charge admission, many events are free. Attendance measures include totals that track both paid attendance and total attendance. It is recognized as the consummate Western heritage, cultural, and entertainment experience in the world. Cheyenne Frontier Days is a top attraction in the state of Wyoming behind Yellowstone National Park, Jackson and Grand Teton National Park.
“As the largest and most well-known event produced in Wyoming, Cheyenne Frontier Days extremely valuable to tourism in the state,” said Diane Shober, Executive Director for the Wyoming Office of Tourism. “Not only does CFD physically bring hundreds of thousands of people to Cheyenne and Laramie County every year, but it deepens Wyoming’s connection with the cowboy spirit and the Western way of life to people all around the world. It’s a celebration of the culture, history and values that the citizens of Wyoming have and continue to cherish,” she added.
Hirsig added that he recognizes the importance of Cheyenne Frontier Days to the rest of Wyoming. “We know through our consumer research that many of the visitors in this study incorporate CFD into their summer travel plans that include other destinations, or a road trip, in our great state of Wyoming. In this way, we deliver a positive economic impact not only to our community, but to our entire state.
General Chairman Bill Berg said, “Part of our mission is to encourage economic success and this report shows that we are succeeding. Cheyenne Frontier Days focuses on what our customers want and we develop that entertainment so they will stay and visit our community. We offer an authentic experience of Old West hospitality, which includes dedicated volunteers and an engaged community. Without the support of the community and its leadership, we could not have increased the economic impact to Laramie County. These economic impacts show the dedication that Cheyenne Frontier Days has to our community.”