BAR HARBOR, Maine — A new study from the National Park Service shows visitors to eastern Maine’s Acadia National Park spent nearly $200 million in the park and surrounding towns in 2010.
The new report examined the economic benefits that the nation’s 395 national parks brought to their communities during the year.
For Acadia National Park, the 2.5 million visitors in 2010 spent more than $186 million in the park and surrounding communities on Mount Desert Island.
Of that total, more than $183 million came from people who did not live locally, resulting in nearly 3,150 local jobs. On top of that, the report says Acadia National Park employees and affiliated jobs from the park’s payroll accounted for another 190 jobs.
Nationwide, according to the report, visitors to the National Park System contributed more than $31 billion to local economies and supported 258,000 jobs in 2010, an increase of $689 million and 11,500 jobs over 2009.
How do they know they came for the park to begin with? Parks are just land the people own but are not allowed to use.
They used visitor counts, either from purchased tickets or other methods of counting. See the ‘Methods’ section of the document.
“not allowed to use” You’re funny.
According to the “traditional use” entitlement crowd on their ATVs and snowmobiles, snowmobilers spend “billions” each season.
“the people own but are not allowed to use” as in an evolving squatter-flophouse rights syndrome or theory, that a NP would abrogate. Bitterly opposed to doing anything beyond extolling the virtues of sloth and an apathetic aversion to a vision of the future beyond the current dismal reality. Future generations will marvel at this timorous,tepid ,and torpid response to what usually calls forth the very best in Americans.
Put down your thesaurus.
Ha I’ve used a NP at least 10 times this winter, hiked, biked, and motorcycled, oh and driven picnicked and camped. Met people from almost every state, spent money and loved the fact that for me (over 65) it was free. My country, my land. You are confused.
I use parks all the time. What are you talking about?
Probably half of that money was from Obama’s vacation.
If the people in Millinocket could get over themselves long enough to read this, they might see some opportunity for self-sufficiency in the creation of a park.
Yea because Millinocket has a road up a mountain with gorgeous ocean views, and the first sunrise of the US every day; along with Thunder Hole, Carriage roads, a loop road that follows the coast and trendy shops in town. Ask yourself this; if you’re a wealthy American who is looking to travel, are you going to tell your friends your going to Acadia, or Millinocket?
Ha …. Can’t really use your imagination can you? All NPs are different. Am I moving too fast for you? Perhaps a North Woods park would appeal to some of the millions who’ve already been to Acadia, or those who want to canoe. How about a couple of hundred miles of bike trails? If low grades from Millinocket like to snowmobile and ride ATVS thru the woods then maybe there are other people (I know it tough to realize there are people different than what you see everyday) that would like to ride bicycles through the woods, or camp there, or do nothing but hike.
You must be part of Roxanne’s staff with comments like “low grades.” Way to garner support for your side. And since you can do everything you just listed in most state parks that already exist in Maine, why do we need to tie up thousands of more acres for just that same thing? Another thing, where do you think many of the trails that mountain bikers CURRENTLY use throughout Maine in the summer come from? Snowmobile and ATV clubs! So before you post comments insulting numerous people, you better get your facts straight. Or at least come with a good arguement.
I have not followed this issue very much so Im going to ask these questions. Is the land for this proposed park all owned by Quimby? If so isnt it her choice to donate it if she wants? Of course the Federal Government does not have to accept it. What is the opposition to the park on the part of local residents? Hopefully these questions can be answered.
The land is all owned by Quimby and since she bought it, she can do whatever she likes with it. Her plan from the start has been to donate it to the Feds, and now it apperas the Feds want nothing to do with it. The oppostion got started when she started to buy up thousands of acres of land, and took it away from the people who have been using it for decades. The hunters, the fisherman, the snowmobilers, etc. The more land she bought, and the more she took away from us, the more folks began to hate her. On top of this she called Maine a welfare state, and insulted many people. She set ultimatums with the local clubs to use her land, which the clubs refused to play her games. Her arrogance and spite are her biggest downfalls. She just assumed she could throw around her millions and get what she wanted. Well she came up against the people of Maine, and found out otherwise.
It’s pointless to try and ‘garner support’ from people who never change their minds about an issue once they’ve come to a conclusion …. Millinocket is part of redneck nation, no open minds allowed, only over cooked attitudes…. Take the easy, knee jerk, illogical answer every time.
And your part of pot smoking, tree hugger nation. Go back to Mass.
Get over yourself , please !
Perhaps the nuts in the north end ought to pay attention here. Not only do these folks come with their money, they spend their time mostly in the park and the life around the park goes on as it was. Yes, it is busier, but obnoxious. The north woods would be a huge destination.
Well, not if it can’t offer the shopping, restaurants, night-life, hotels and the other things within walking distance (very key) like the OCEAN that millinocket cannot. The Maine coast has always been an attractant for the rich (and french canadians). But the buggy woods? It’s just so different I don’t think you can compare apples, here.
Maybe the people in Millinocket & surrounding area don’t want their town to be like Bar Harbor. If they did, they would live in Bar Harbor.
Earlier version of this story said, “200 million” now its “186 million”? Did they deduct the cost of the obama’s VACATION from the tally since it was taxpayer money?
I think I read somewhere that it cosst the US taxpayer close to $1,000,000. a day to support the president and his team each day he travels out of the whitehouse.
I’ve been to Bar Harbor many times with no thought of or intention of visiting the park. Did the money I spent get counted in this ? Not really and accurate survey is it ? More ammo for Roxanne I’m afraid. ………… I suppose I shouldn’t have used the word ammo and Roxanne in the same sentence.