November 28th, 2025 by WCBC Radio

Ashli Workman, Director of Tourism for the county, spoke at the recent River Park Project update saying outdoor recreation is a major U.S. economic engine.  Outdoor recreation makes up $374 billion of the GDP, making it three times larger than oil and gas extraction and one of the fastest growing sectors in the country…

 

“Regions that invest in outdoor assets consistently see small business growth, better business, attraction, better talent attraction, and overall higher quality of life metrics.  When we say outdoor recreation represents 2.3% of the U.S. economy, about $1.2 trillion, it’s bigger than agriculture, bigger than utilities and mining, and absolutely a standalone powerhouse sector.”