The survey Conducted through the spring, summer and fall of 2006, the Pine Valley Rail Trail survey (.pdf) counts responses from a little more than 1,000 trail users, the majority (86%) of whom were Pennsylvania residents; 64% were bicyclists. Analysts used data from the survey and trail-use figures to arrive at the $5 million to $7 million annual economic impact for the trail. Local spending While some of the spending for "hard goods" such as bicycles went to businesses around the state, local spending for food and snacks totalled $2.5 million to $3.6 million and for lodging tallied between $1.3 million to $1.9 million. The trail's impact on the economy has been great. 82% of the respondents said they had purchased bikes, accessories or clothing for an average expenditure of $354. Further, 86% reported they spent money on such "soft goods" as lunches, ice cream, drinks to the tune of an average $30 per trip. Another boon to the local economy, 57% said they spent at least one night in the area. On average, the overnighters spend just over 3 nights per visit and spend $69 per night. Owners of general stores, restaurants and hotels in towns along the route were interviewed, and they all agreed that business had picked up since the trail opened, and many had added new products and more employees Amenities boost state’s image – and economy By David Kjelby Guest commentary I know an engineer at Lexmark who has had the opportunity to go on out-of-state recruiting trips for the company. After one trip to a prestigious Midwest university, I received feedback on how the trip went. The Lexmark team had set up a display at a job fair and talked with college students about the prospect of coming to work for Lexmark. The conversations always seemed to start well. The students had heard of Lexmark. They had seen Lexmark printers in stores and the company ads on television. Eventually the conversation would roll around to where Lexmark is located. When told Lexington, the students’ expressions would change. They would become distant. Their eyes would glaze over as if no longer interested. A few were even brash enough to say out loud what they were thinking: “Me, move to Kentucky? You’ve got to be kidding!” We who live in Kentucky know the positive things about our state. We like to think the quality of life here is as good as in any other state. We want people outside Kentucky to think highly of us. It’s hard for us to realize there are many people who hold a negative image of Kentucky. To make matters worse, those negative images get reinforced every time the national news media runs a story about the poor in Appalachia, every time a comedian or the Disney Channel makes Kentucky the butt of a joke, or the mess in Frankfort is highlighted in USA Today. Why is our state’s image important? It is because we are competing with other states for jobs. Kentuckians want “clean” high-paying jobs such as those associated with technology and research. Other states want those jobs too. When a company decides where to locate its facilities, it looks at a number of factors. One factor it looks at is whether the location will help it attract and retain the type of employees it needs. The location has to offer advantages BEFORE the company locates. In other words, the infrastructure has to be in place before companies locate to the area. Vague talk of making improvements sometime in the future won’t cut it. What type of things do companies believe will attract and retain desirable employees? One thing is good local schools. People want to live in communities where they believe their children will receive a top-notch education. Another thing is recreational opportunities. These recreational opportunities can’t just be theme parks or attractions where admission has to be paid to enter. These do count, in their own way. What companies also look for are recreational opportunities that employees can fit into their varied schedules and not have to pay for every time. An example of this is recreational trails. The trails are often paved and can be used for non-motorized activities such as walking, jogging, bicycling and rollerblading. They can be used whenever the employee finds it convenient. A few years ago the Microsoft Web site featured a corporate program where employees could borrow company-owned bicycles. The Web page had a picture of a couple employees on bicycles with large numbers attached to the fronts. The bikes did not look flashy or expensive. The point was that Microsoft had in place a program to provide this type of free recreational opportunity, and people who came to work for Microsoft could take advantage of this benefit. Microsoft would provide the bicycles and, presumably, there were places nearby where employees could ride them. Redmond, Wash., where Microsoft has its headquarters, has been designated a “Bicycle Friendly Community” by the League of American Bicyclists. A Commerce Lexington Leadership group recently traveled to Boulder, Colo. Why? One reason is because Boulder is a community that has successfully attracted clean industry. Computer technology companies such as IBM and Sun Microsystems have large facilities nearby that help fuel the town’s economy. Boulder has a reputation for being a good place to live. What type of infrastructure have they put in place that is attractive to corporations? There are plenty of places to shop, both in Boulder and in surrounding communities. Nearby are attractions such as a water park, a butterfly pavilion, national and state parks. Another thing Boulder offers is a network of recreational trails. People can use the trails as a safe place to exercise or travel. The trails connect places that people want to go. They connect apartment complexes, restaurants, the University of Colorado, government buildings, libraries and parks. And, like Redmond, Boulder has the “Bicycle Friendly Community” designation. Kentuckians are starting to understand the benefits recreational trails provide. Not only do they provide a safe place to exercise, but they also have economic value. There are direct economic benefits such as shops that sell bicycles and running shoes to trail users. There are also indirect benefits such as being an amenity companies look for when deciding where to locate. If Kentucky wants to get beyond attracting low paying underwear manufacturers and chicken processing plants, and truly wants to attract clean high-paying technology jobs, it needs to provide the quality of life offerings that those companies want for their employees. Then Kentucky can show through its actions that it is a state deserving respect. David Kjelby has 20 years experience in the information technology field, and serves on the Kentucky Rails-to-Trails Council’s board of directors. Sep 7, 2007 bizlex WWW -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Copyright Smiley Pete Publishing 2007. Visit our other publications: Chevy Chaser -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Southsider Magazine -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- W the Weekly -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Contact us: info@bizlex.com