GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. — As ArtPrize continues through the week, we're learning more about the economic impact that the event is having on downtown Grand Rapids. Experts say things are looking good, consistent with the event's continued bounce back from lower numbers during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Christian Glupker, an economics professor at Grand Valley State University, has been measuring that economic impact of ArtPrize for years.
While the full numbers aren't in yet, he says this year is right on par with 2022 so far. For reference, he says last year the event brought 750,000 people to downtown Grand Rapids. 56% of them were from outside of Kent County as well.
Glupker says that kind of activity drives economic boosts well beyond the time limit of ArtPrize.
"We have some new visitors coming in, walking around, and maybe finding themselves a new favorite restaurant, your favorite store," says Glupker. "They're not just driving through going to a single event. They're walking around and getting a new familiarity with the Grand Rapids area."
Glupker also says his model doesn't capture those repeat visitors either, so the full economic impact is likely greater than what he's able to measure.
"There's a lot of social and cultural impacts, as well, that my modeling can't capture. You know, I can't put a value on that," says Glupker. "Those are just as important as the economic impact. And I can't capture the repeat visitor. You know, maybe somebody came down town for our price ate at a restaurant. And then a month later said, remember that restaurant we went to? And they came back. I'm not going to capture that impact."
Glupker says his survey team is still collecting data from this year's ArtPrize, and we'll be sure to have the final impact for you once Glupker shares his final report after the event ends.
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