Study Shows Economic Benefits Of Missouri River

By Andrew Atwal
andrew.atwal@yankton.net

A National Park Service (NPS) report for 2011 shows how much economic benefits the Missouri National Recreational River (MNRR) has on the area.

The study shows that the MNRR drew 179,783 visitors to the park who subsequently spent more than $9 million during their stay in Yankton. Non-local visitors — those outside a 60-mile radius of the park — spent more than $8.5 million during their stays.

The report estimates that total visitor spending led to a creation of about 140 jobs for the region.
Most of the visitor spending came on lodging, food and beverage service (63 percent); recreation and entertainment while in the area (17 percent); other retail (11 percent); transportation and fuel (7 percent); and wholesale and manufacturing (2 percent).

The sister park of the MNRR in Niobrara drew 65,000 visitors and created around $3.3 million in local economic benefit.

In comparison, Mount Rushmore had about 2 million visitors in 2011, creating around $74 million in local economic benefit.

“We want to bring in visitors to the area from farther away that might not have already come to Yankton because of the river’s national park status,” said Steven Mietz, superintendent of the MNRR. “Because it is a national park, we can bring people to visit the area from farther away than other state and local parks could.”

Overall, visitors to national parks in South Dakota spent about $160 million in 2011, which created more than 2,576 jobs from their spending. In Nebraska, non-local national park visitors spent $13 million, creating 227 jobs.

Mietz said it’s a big deal to have a national park in Yankton.

“It’s special for people in the area to be able to have a national park right in their own backyard,” he said. “There are only 400 in the entire country. The region gets a lot of economic, recreational and scenic benefits as a result of having the national park right in town.”

Mietz added that a study like this helps officials understand how much impact the park is having on the area.

“Because of this study, we are able to go to people and partners to work on a project and we can tell them how much we’re contributing to the state and local economy. It gives us more of a standing with the partners we work with,” he said. “This stretch of the MNRR is special and people want to come see it. It’s one of the last natural pieces of the river left, making it an even more special area that people want to come visit and enjoy.”

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