When we first announced the Florida State Fair gimmick, I asked you what you wanted to see & know. Several of you got in touch, and asked a lot of questions about the stuff at the fair.
Sticks reader Michael G. seems skeptical of any local economic impact from the Florida State Fair. Here is his comment:
Just remember folks, the Fair is designed to seperate you from your money…
I would rather spend my money on something that will help the local economy, perhaps by spending the $40-80 that most people spend on food and rides, on my neighbors business/job, so that his full-time job is supported and maybe his house does not go into foreclosure….
Has anyone done a study about whether the Fair is beneficial to the local economy long term, or is is just a way for money to be taken out of the county ?…..
A lot of money changes hands a the Fair.
Can anyone show or prove that it’s a good long term financial contributor to the local economy ?
There certainly are few if any high paying jobs with benefits associated with the Fair….
A fair (heh) question, don’t you think? Let’s find some of the answers…
Back in 2006, USF analyzed The Economic Contributions of the Florida State Fair Authority, using numbers from FY 2004-2005. The study concluded that:
Annually, the Florida State Fair Authority’s economic contribution to Hillsborough County is:
- • 1,023 jobs,
- • $142.6 million of sales, and
- • money wages and salaries over $35.6 million.
Additionally, the net of local tax revenue over local tax expenditures attributable to the Florida State Fair Authority is nearly $1.9 million per year.
This economic activity, which begins in Hillsborough County, ripples through a broader marketplace to produce incrementally greater contributions throughout the Tampa Bay region and the state of Florida. The cumulative contributions are:
Tampa Bay – 1,183 jobs, $160.4 million of sales, and over $40.5 million in wages.
Florida – 1,267 jobs, $171.4 million of sales, and over $43.3 million in wages.
Of course, these sort of studies include magical formulas designed to make economists feel smarter than you and I. So I like to focus on those things I can understand.
First of all, how much of YOUR money is thrown around, and where does it come from? In 2009, 466,733 people paid $3,119,360 to get in the Florida State Fair – that’s just under $7 per person. You also spend a few bucks on the rides, games, and food. For the privilege of being available to you, each joint must pay rent to be at the fairgrounds. For exhibitors, rent is $150 per foot front, for concessions, it’s $165 to $225 per foot front (2010). Vendors inside the Expo Hall pay up to $3600 plus electricity. That adds up to a bunch of cash.
To be sure, plenty of that money spent by the Fair goes outside the county, but a significant portion of it stays right here – think TECO for 
setting up the electricity, waste management, Hillsborough County Sheriffs for security, local newspapers and TV for advertising, etc. In addition to all of that, they actually DO have a decent sized full time staff with benefits.
In 2005, the FSFA had a full time staff of 53 people, earning over $2,000,000 ($40K+ average), and another 700 part time & fair time people who make about $1,000 each (USF study pdf page 13). This year, the FSFA employed between 60 and 70 people full-time.
Perhaps Michael is thinking about the traveling show folks. The people working for the traveling vendors make a few bucks during the fair and then just head to the next town, spending it there, right? Well, many of the carnies here just came from a show in West Palm, and so Tampa is the “next town” that gets that benefit. I saw many roadies heading out late after work to hit up a local pub or perhaps the nearby casino. In addition, although many sleep in trailers or bunkhouses on the fairgrounds (and that’s not free, either), some of them stay at a local hotel for the duration of the fair.
What about the ride & concession owners? Alot of these people are from elsewhere, but not every vendor is from out of state. Pipo’s has at least one outdoor stand, and Alessi’s has a handful of purchase points. 
And even some of the traveling shows are based here in Florida. Deggellar Attractions of Stuart, FL, brought eleven rides, Wade Shows has an office in Florida, and both Myers International Midways and Reithoffer Shows have a big presence at the Florida State Fair, and are both based in Gibsonton, home to perhaps the best known showmen’s club in the nation.
One more thing… About 22% of those nearly half a million visitors to the fair are from Hillsborough County. Another 33%ish are from nearby counties, and they may buy gas here & such. That leaves nearly 45% of visitors from outside the area (USF study pdf page 15), many of which spend at least one night in a local hotel (this stuff is part of those economists’ magic formulas).
So, Michael is right when he says “a lot of money changes hands” at the fair, but just like any business who wants to separate you from your dough, it seems to me that a significant portion of that money gets spent again right here in Tampa Bay, and goes to help your neighbors from going into foreclosure.
