Associate Dean Natalie Gochnour is an expert on Utah’s economy–chief economist for the Salt Lake City Chamber of Commerce, in fact–and a regular contributor to Utah Business and the Deseret News, in addition to being called on by all manner of media outlets and civic groups hoping to tap into her knowledge.
In her most recent Utah Business column, she discusses the economic impact of having a successful Major League Soccer franchise here in the Salt Lake Valley.
“We live in the interior West,” Gochnour writes. “It used to be the “flyover zone,” but not anymore. When it comes to soccer we are in the premier league in this country, and every time we play one of the 18 franchises from larger MLS markets, we benefit.
“Economists calculate economic value by measuring new money attracted to the state. TV revenues and visitor spending add up. Then there’s the out-of-state media exposure we receive during every game. The Utah economy is larger and stronger because of the economic contribution of Real Salt Lake and Rio Tinto Stadium.”
You can read Natalie’s entire article right here, and we suggest you do!