The National High School Finals Rodeo at the Lancaster Event Center Fairgrounds last summer had a nearly $18 million economic impact, according to a University of Nebraska-Lincoln study.
The impact on Lancaster County alone was nearly $17 million, much of it from people who came to Lincoln from other states.
Eric Thompson, UNL economics professor and director of the Bureau of Business Research, who conducted the study, likened it to the College World Series or Omaha zoo.
“This was striking — just how large a share of the people were from another state,” Thompson said. “There are very few events where the visitors are so thoroughly out-of-state people. That’s why it had such a big impact.”
That impact included spending an estimated $2.8 million on lodging both at campgrounds on the fairgrounds and in hotels across the city, the study found.
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The rodeo, held July 18-24, was the biggest event ever hosted by the event center fairgrounds, which invested $7 million in lodging tax revenue from the county to build a new grandstand, expand its campground and make other upgrades to prepare for the influx of horses, competitors and their families.
It drew 19,233 visitors, totaling 97,347 “visitor days” based on how many days each of those visitors stayed.
Nearly all of the people traveling with competitors who purchased wristbands for the event were from outside Lancaster County, and 95% were from out of state. Of those not traveling with a competitor who bought wristbands, nearly 90% were from outside Lancaster County and nearly 82% from outside the state.
The fairgrounds sold 2,844 wristbands and 19,066 individual tickets.
The study looked at spending by participants, those who attended events and shopped at vendors — gauged through surveys, as well as the impact of the fairgrounds' operations and capital improvements.
The study also factored in a “multiplier” impact — a formula that calculated estimates of laborers hired to work the rodeo spending their money, or supplies purchased by hotels, for instance.
The rodeo generated $1.49 million in tax revenue — $622,711 in local sales, lodging and occupation taxes and $867,916 in state sales, lodging and income taxes.
The economic impact included $6 million in wages and benefits, the study found.
The study concluded the impact of visitor spending was $10.9 million.
Visitors spent $1.4 million on food and drinks in Lincoln, $421,000 shopping, nearly $138,000 on gas, more than $155,000 on recreation and entertainment and close to $478,000 on other things.
One visitor surveyed cut his arm and had to go to a doctor, Thompson said, an expense listed in the “other” category.
Groups who attended the rodeo spent an average of $3,329 during their visit, the study found.
The impact of out-of-state visitors is more often seen in states with attractions such as Disney World, Thompson said.
“It definitely had an impact,” he said. "It’s a great way to show off our state.”
The study found the impact of the fairgrounds' capital improvements at $12.7 million — wages and services for construction, professional services and trade. The impact was split over the three years it is expected to host the rodeo.
The National High School Finals Rodeo is scheduled to return to the event center fairgrounds in 2026 and 2027. Its scheduled debut in Lincoln in 2020 was wiped out by the coronavirus pandemic.
Amy Dickerson, managing director of the event center, said the fairgrounds broke even operationally on the 2021 rodeo but she expects the impact to grow in future years.