Report: CVNP contributed $225M into the economy last year

Report: Cuyahoga Valley National Park contributed $225M into the local economy last year

By Lydia Taylor Cleveland

PUBLISHED 2:05 PM ET Aug. 27, 2024 PUBLISHED 2:05 PM EDT Aug. 27, 2024

PENINSULA, Ohio — A new report from the National Park Service showed Cuyahoga Valley National Park pumped $225 million into the local economy in 2023.

What You Need To Know

The report states that there were 2.9 million visitors to the park last year, who spent $139 million in communities near the park

The visitor spending last year in communities near the park is the highest amount spent in more than eight years, with the highest amount of spending being in 2015 with $145 million

Across the nation, the National Park Service said there were more than 325 million visitors who spent over $26 billion in communities near national parks

The report states that there were 2.9 million visitors to the park last year, who spent $139 million in communities near the park. The spending also supposed more than 2,100 jobs in the area.

“I’m so proud that our parks and the stories we tell make a lasting impact on more than 300 million visitors a year,” said National Park Service Director Chuck Sams in a news release. “And I’m just as proud to see those visitors making positive impacts of their own, by supporting local economies and jobs in every state in the country.”

The visitor spending last year in communities near the park is the highest amount spent in more than eight years, with the highest amount of spending being in 2015 with $145 million, according to National Park Service data.

Across the nation, the National Park Service said there were more than 325 million visitors who spent over $26 billion in communities near national parks. That spending supported more than 415,000 jobs, $19.4 billion in labor income and $55.6 in economic output to the U.S economy.

“People come to Cuyahoga Valley National Park to enjoy the 140 miles of trails and green space between the cities of Cleveland and Akron and end up supporting the US and local economies along the way,” said Superintendent Lisa Petit in a release. “We’re proud that Cuyahoga Valley National Park supports 2136 jobs and generates $225 million in revenue to communities near the park.