The University of Minnesota, Crookston, contributes $50 million annually to the local and regional economy, including Grand Forks, according to a study recently completed by the University of Minnesota Extension's Center for Community Vitality.
The study said the Crookston campus supports 602 jobs and $25.1 million in labor income, factoring contributions of faculty and staff spending, construction projects, daily operations and spending by students and visitors.
According to the study:
- Spending by 257 faculty and staff employed by the university contributed $27.4 million and 366 jobs to the regional economy.
- Construction projects on campus contributed $7.5 million and 65 jobs to the regional economy.
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- Daily operations contributed $7.2 million and 73 jobs to the regional economy.
- Spending by 1,310 students contributed $6.96 million and 81 jobs to the regional economy.
- Events held on the Crookston campus contributed $1.1 million and 19 jobs to the regional economy.
The city of Crookston and the region benefit in many ways in addition to the $50 million in economic impact, Chancellor Charles Casey said.
"Roughly $10 million in state tax dollars returns to the region in the form of state operational support for the campus," Casey said in a campus news release. "Taxpayers see a direct investment by the state of Minnesota in this community."
The campus is among the top five employers in Crookston.
Barry Wilfahrt, president and chief executive of The Chamber in Grand Forks, held a similar position in Crookston in 1984-85.
"For many years, Crookston has been an important part of our trade area, and the University of Minnesota, Crookston is a major contributor," Wilfahrt said.
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The full report is
available online at:
www.umcrookston.edu/chancellors-office/documents/UMC-EconomicImpact2010.pdf .
