Here’s one reason why it would be a good idea for Utah to make a play for the 2016 GOP Convention. The 2012 event pumped more than $200 million into Tampa’s economy.
The Tampa Bay Times highlights a study that concludes the 2012 Republican National Convention was directly responsible for $214 million in economic activity for the Tampa area. Add in the indirect economic impact of the convention, and the total rises to $404 million.
The study estimated that the convention increased taxable sales around the area by $363 million during August 2012 compared with August 2011. That 3.2 percent increase came on top of the growth in sales the rest of the state also saw for the month.
But compared with August 2011, sales at restaurants grew, but couldn’t keep pace with the rest of the state and sales at bars were down 14 percent, possibly because of the “crowding out” effect that economists say huge events have on normal patterns of business.
