RV Rallies Could Have An Economic Impact of Up To $15 Million?!

Did You Say A Rally Can have an Economic Impact Up To $15 MILLION?!   
By Sherry Fanning

I am a Strong Believer that RVing has a Great Economic Impact on the communities in which they travel, recreate and rally! As a motorcoach owner enjoys the fruits of their labors from the cockpit of their highline motorhome, traveling from Point A to B or wherever the whim takes them, they are also leaving some serious cash along the way. As they tour and shop and enjoy a particular area, they are impacting the local economy.

I've been thinking about the Economic Impact of a large FMCA type rally (2,000 coach families in attendance) to the Community in which it is held. By conservative estimates, I'd guess that figure could hover somewhere around 15 million dollars, even factoring the post-recession economics into it. According to FMCA's Chris Lusk, whom I queried on this subject in June 2013, “No communities have provided data since the recession. Prior reports placed the economic impact of our events between 15 million and 35 million. The impact will vary due to event attendance, local tax structure, and availability of services. Something to remember. . . these are '1st time' dollar impacts. The influx of new dollars ripples several times (i.e. are spent several times) before they evaporate. There are formulas available to compute the 'net' economic impact, however, we prefer to only use the '1st time' numbers.” --Chris Lusk, Events Manager, Family Motor Coach Association, 8291 Clough Pike, Cincinnati, OH.

Even a smaller event like a 50-100 coach rally with Country Coach Friends Inc is surprisingly impacting to a community! Just doing the calculations based on Chris Lusk’s comments about economic impact during better times, it seems a CCFI event today could inject upwards of $300,000 into a local economy before, during and after its 5 day rally (even more for those who buy coaches from one of the dealers displaying at a rally)! Then I thought about the charitable giving this club is becoming famous for….Usually CCFI also leaves thousands of additional monies with a rally charity whenever Country Coach Friends gather. I’ve always known this club has some of the kindest and friendliest souls in its member ranks. Turns out you are also some of the most generous!

Keep up the momentum Country Coach Friends Inc….and let’s keep injecting local economies in which you rally with much needed monies you generously spread around at eateries, wineries, shops and malls, RV-related businesses, tire centers, cabinet shops, furnishings boutiques, and more! See we ladies have always been onto something profound. Shopping is a GOOD thing--for those who enjoy the retail therapy, for the businesses benefitting from their shopping, and for the local economy as a whole.  Although there is no recent data on the EXACT monetary benefit to a community in which RVers rally, suffice to say "It is significant."

Albany, get ready! Country Coach Friends are coming to town in August for the 3^rd Annual CCFI Friendship Rally August 21-25! I can almost hear the cash registers ringing up the sales. (Well, I’m dating myself, I guess the cash registers don’t exactly “ring” up the sales any longer;)

And next year, in August 2014, FMCA is coming to Redmond, OR!  The immediate Redmond/Bend area will realize millions of dollars in sales garnered from these RVers before, during, and after their visit. So will the south Willamette valley, as most will continue on to have service work done, buy tires, batteries, and have interior and exterior renovations done on their coach! 

The Lane County area is a wonderful place for RVers to take care of these types of projects and the ones whom I know indeed do LOVE spending leisure time (and dollars) here in the Lane/Linn County area!