The School of Public Affairs Research Institute (SOPARI) recently estimated the local economic impact of the St. Cloud Regional Airport (STC). Selected as a sub-contractor for the overall study, SOPARI was awarded $25,000 to conduct research on both the economic impact of the airport and a passenger parking assessment.
SOPARI concluded that STC had a $44.2 million impact on the local economy in 2017 (Stearns, Benton and Sherburne Counties).
The total includes the direct, indirect, and induced impact of the airport on the area’s output. Among the sectors of the local economy that are most impacted by STC are housing, health care, dining, entertainment, financial services and retail. STC is also estimated to be responsible for the overall employment of 289 people in the 3-county area. Total generated labor income in 2017: $17.1 million.
Over the course of 10 weeks in the summer of 2017, members of the research team surveyed passengers of every outgoing commercial flight (22 in all) as they waited to board the plane. Researchers were granted post-security clearance to ease the task of administering surveys.
Heat map illustrating the distribution of Minnesota residents who use STC.
A total of 1,076 passenger surveys were completed and included in the analysis.
Among the interesting findings of the research is the majority of passengers flying out of STC are not from the immediate area. To demonstrate this finding, the St. Cloud State GIS program assisted by creating heat maps to illustrate the distribution of Minnesota residents who use STC.
STC currently does not charge for parking. Passengers who are residents of Minnesota were surveyed for what they would be willing to pay to park at STC. SOPARI concluded that the optimal price point is $5 per day. At this rate, STC could generate a minimum of $100,000 in annual parking revenue.
The St. Cloud Regional Airport currently offers direct flights to Mesa, Ariz. and seasonal direct flights to Punta Gorda, Fla., on Allegiant. For more information on the airport and flight information, visit stcloudairport.com.
SOPARI’s research was part of a $250,000 St. Cloud Regional Airport Study conducted by Steven Baldwin Associates to analyze and make recommendations on optimizing the use of the STC facility.
The Greater St. Cloud Development Corporation helped oversee the airport study for the City of St. Cloud. Patti Gartland ’80, president of the Greater St. Cloud Development Corporation, is a graduate of St. Cloud State. The overall study was funded through legislative appropriations to the Minnesota Department of Transportation.
