Study on 2017 Cincinnati Music Festival reveals annual event is the largest driver of tri-state tourism
A study conducted by the UC Economics Center and commissioned by the Cincinnati USA Convention & Visitors Bureau announced this week that the Cincinnati Music Festival presented by P&G provides a $107.5 million economic impact to the region, making it the largest annual weekend driver of tourism in the tri-state.
In 2017, the Cincinnati Music Festival drew an audience of 83,200 with 79.8% of those attendees from out-of-town with each spending an average of $692 on lodging, food/beverage and retail, and traveling from as far as Los Angeles, Chicago and New York.
Additionally, the impact of the Cincinnati Music Festival supported 1,557 tri-state jobs with $24.8 million in total earnings. During the weekend of the Festival, hotel tax revenues were $2.1 million ($1.3 million in Hamilton County and $829,000 in the City of Cincinnati) whereas sales tax revenue in Hamilton County was $530,000 and $363,000 to adjacent local counties.
By comparison, the $107.5 million economic impact of the Cincinnati Music Festival is the equivalent of hosting one-and-a-half Major League Baseball All Star Games ($65 million), seven Flying Pig Marathon weekends ($15 million) and one-and-a-half Western & Southern Open tennis tournaments ($62.5 million).
“The Cincinnati Music Festival is the biggest hotel weekend of the year in the Cincinnati region and is vital to the success of our visitor economy,” said Jason Dunn, Vice President of Multicultural Sales and Community Development for the Cincinnati USA Convention & Visitors Bureau. “It’s more than just a music festival. The Cincinnati Music Festival drives our regional and national reputation around diversity and inclusion as well as cultural vibrancy and entertainment power.”
The 2018 Cincinnati Music Festival, which will be held July 26-28 at Paul Brown Stadium, will feature Charlie Wilson and Jill Scott as headliners at Paul Brown Stadium. For more information and ticket options, visit www.cincymusicfestival.com.
2018 Cincinnati Music Festival Schedule of Performances
Thursday, July 26: MC Lyte, DJ Jazzy Jeff, Shingo Fashion Show, and Cincinnati's own DJ Vader
Friday, July 27: Charlie Wilson, Xscape, Boyz II Men, Fantasia, After 7
Saturday, July 28: Jill Scott, The Roots, Common, Keith Sweat, The O’Jays, Bootsy Collins
“This year as we put together our lineup, we wanted even our opening acts to be impressive and I think we achieved just that,” said Joe Santangelo, owner of the Santangelo Group and co-promoter of the Cincinnati Music Festival. “From the second the fans come through the Stadium doors, they're going to be on their feet dancing to so many great legends of R&B and Hip Hop. We take the advice of our audience to heart and so we're keeping it up tempo and featuring all artists that have been heavily requested to perform. We can't wait for this year's showcase of talent - it's going to be legendary.”
The Procter & Gamble Company (NYSE:PG) is proud to be the presenting sponsor of the Cincinnati Music Festival for the fourth consecutive year. Procter & Gamble believes supporting events such as the Cincinnati Music Festival draws people from around the nation to experience what the great city of Cincinnati has to offer.
“As an employer, neighbor and responsible corporate citizen, it is important that we create strong connections throughout our community. Music and the arts provide a platform to foster engagement across cultures,” said William P. Gipson, Chief Diversity Officer, P&G. “Importantly, events such as this provide an inclusive spirit that reflects the strength and value of the African-American buying power contributing to the progress and growth of our community.”
Procter & Gamble believes diversity is essential and inclusion is a game-changer, which is why the company upholds the certainty that all people should be valued, both inside and outside the company. According to Nielsen, Black-buying power is expected to reach $1.2 trillion this year. The popular buying categories include personal health and beauty products, fragrances, food and beverage, as well as, family planning, household care and cleaning products.
Over the past few years, prominent national publications such as Billboard, Vibe, AM New York, Upscale Magazine, and the LA Daily News, have visited the Cincinnati region to experience the Cincinnati Music Festival and feature stories showcasing the region, and the festival, as one of the premier music events in the United States.
“As the Cincinnati Music Festival has grown to become one of the premier events in the country, so too has Cincinnati's national reputation soared,” said Julie Calvert, Executive Director of Source Cincinnati, the group charged to lead national media efforts for the region. “That's not a coincidence. The Festival has changed the way people think about Cincinnati, and sparked our credibility and appeal as a world-class region for music, culture and the arts. National media is watching what happens here, as are music lovers, visitors and business leaders, entrepreneurs and more. The ripple effect from the Cincinnati Music Festival has been, and will continue to be, incredible.”