GC&SU president reveals highlights of economic impact study

Special to The Colonnade

Georgia College & State University’s direct impact on the local economy in 2000 was $52 million in money spent directly on goods and services in Milledgeville and Baldwin County. The university’s total impact, both direct and indirect, on the local economy is $71.3 million.
These figures and others were revealed by President Rosemary DePaolo in a presentation to the Milledgeville Rotary Club today. DePaolo highlighted results of an economic impact study conducted by Douglas G. Butler, associate professor of economics in the J. Whitney Bunting School of Business.
The study showed that GC&SU directly impacts the local economy in four ways:
– Employee spending ($17,201,000)
– Purchases of goods and services ($7,360,000)
– Spending on capital projects ($3,800,000)
– Student spending ($23,700,000)
Employee spending
In the 2000 school year, 600 people were employed at GC&SU with salaries exceeding $25.8 million. Of GC&SU employees, 75 percent (about 450 employees) live in Baldwin County.
Purchases of Goods and Services
In 2000, GC&SU’s total expenditure on goods and services totaled $32 million. Of that amount, 23 percent was spent in Baldwin County.
Capital Projects Spending
In 2000, $5.75 million was spent on capital projects and about 67 percent – $3.8 million – remained in the local economy. Current construction and renovation projects totaling $61 million include:

– Ina Dillard Russell Library ($19.5 million)
– Old Governor’s Mansion ($5 million)
– Science Building ($10 million)
– Health Sciences Building ($9.5 million)
– Academic Spaces ($8.5 million)
– Student Union ($2 million)
– Wellness Center ($1 million)
– Intramural Fields ($1 million)
– Central Chiller ($4 million)

According to the study, the economic impact of the current construction and renovation projects may directly impact Baldwin County $40 million if expenditures remain in the county economy at the same ratio as in the year 2000. In addition, a $65 million university housing project could also impact the county $43 million.
Student Spending
The changing demographics of GC&SU students since the university became the state’s public liberal arts university have impacted the county also, the study revealed.
In 1996, 60 percent of GC&SU’s freshmen were from the middle Georgia region. In 2001, only 25.5 percent were from that region. The study showed that students from outside the middle Georgia area have more money to spend. Student spending would have been approximately $4.4 million less had the university’s mission remained the same.
Students spend most of their money in restaurants or for fast food, followed by groceries, entertainment, night clubs or bars, gasoline, telephone and clothing. The study found that GC&SU students spend $84 a month on goods and services – primarily clothing and dining — he or she cannot find within Baldwin County.
The study projected that by 2003:
* GC&SU will produce an additional $13.7 million into Milledgeville and Baldwin County relative to 2000.
Four The direct impact of GC&SU will be greater than $65 million.
* GC&SU’s total economic impact will reach $89 million, or $18.7 million more than the school’s total economic impact in 2000.
* There will be 220 more jobs in the local economy than in 2000 due to the presence of GC&SU
For more information, contact Max Allen, executive assistant to the president and director of university relations, (478) 445-6802.

Posted by Colonnade Archives on Dec 7 2001. Filed under News. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0. You can leave a response or trackback to this entry