Press Release: Santa Cruz County Economy Gets Boost of $720 Million Annually from State Parks and Beaches

06/12/09

Santa Cruz County Economy Receives $720,000,000 Estimated Annual Boost from State Parks and Beaches

New Economic Info Underscores Impact of Governor’s Proposed Closure of All Santa Cruz County State Parks and Beaches

SANTA CRUZ, CA—Friends of Santa Cruz State Parks today announced visitors to Santa Cruz County’s state parks and beaches invested an estimated $720,037,980 in the county’s economy between July 1, 2007, and July 1, 2008. The estimate is based on a study by Sacramento State University’s Department of Recreation, Parks and Tourism Administration, released June 9, 2009.

“State parks and beaches are a key driver for our local economy,” said Bonny Hawley, executive director for Friends of Santa Cruz State Parks. “As our community struggles to pull out of this deep recession, protecting our tourism based economy has never been more important. In addition to the obvious loss of environmental protection and public access to open space and protected lands, closure of our state parks will likely blow a nearly three quarters-of-a-billion-dollar hole in our county’s economy.”

Support from local business
Buoyed by support from businesses and entities such as the Capitola-Soquel Chamber of Commerce and the Felton Business Association, Friends of Santa Cruz State Parks has launched a letter of support effort for area businesses:
http://www.thatsmypark.org/news_pdf/Local%20BusinessesOganizationsfinal.pdf

More on the numbers
- 12,494,152: Total visitors to Santa Cruz County state parks and beaches (source: CA State Parks)
- $57.63: Estimated average amount spent per visitor, per visit (source: Sacramento State University)

More on the Sacramento State Survey
In a survey taken between the fall of 2007 and February 2009, faculty and students from Sacramento State’s Recreation, Parks and Tourism Administration surveyed 9,700 visitors at 27 state parks. The state parks used in the survey were designed to represent the geographic diversity of the 280 parks in the state system. (source: Sacramento State University)

Community support by the numbers
- 209,969: Number of school children, families and individuals who participated in environmental education, living history, volunteer training, campfires, hikes, tours, Jr. Rangers, and Jr. Lifeguards
- 4,600: Number of faxes sent to State Senator Simitian’s office
- 3,900: Number of faxes sent to Assemblymember Monning’s office
- 2,500: Number of faxes sent to State Senator Maldonado’s office
- 1,424: Number of fans on new Facebook site for Friends of Santa Cruz State Parks
- 600: Number of people who attended a recent rally at Natural Bridges State Beach
- 50: Percentage amount of Santa Cruz County’s coastline to be abandoned through Governor Schwarzenegger’s closure plan

Proposed Santa Cruz County State Park and Beach Closures
Big Basin Redwoods State Park, Castle Rock State Park, Castro Adobe State Historic Park, Coast Dairies State Park, Henry Cowell Redwoods State Park, Lighthouse Field State Beach, Manresa State Beach, Manresa Uplands State Park, Natural Bridges State Beach, New Brighton State Beach, Palm State Beach, Rio Del Mar State Beach, Santa Cruz Mission State Historic Park, Seabright State Beach, Seacliff State Beach, Sunset State Beach, The Forest of Nisene Marks, Twin Lakes State Beach and Wilder Ranch State Park.

For more information about Friends of Santa Cruz State Parks, visit www.ThatsMyPark.org.

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