The Big Sandy Superstore Arena
The Big Sandy Superstore Arena, located in Huntington, West Virginia, has hosted numerous concerts, family shows and other events—both ticketed and non-ticketed—in its 35 years of existence. These events attract thousands of attendees every year to the Huntington area. Patrons of Arena events, particularly those who do not live in the area, may participate in local activities—such as dining at a local restaurant, seeing area attractions and possibly staying overnight at a local hotel—while on their visit to the region.
Purchases made while participating in these and other activities provide monetary stimulation to the local economy. But the impact of this stimulation is not readily obvious. To best analyze this impact, financial data, attendee spending habits and other information must be collected and evaluated. As a result, the Center for Business and Economic Research (CBER) at Marshall University was contracted by the Big Sandy Superstore Arena to conduct an economic impact study of the effect of the Arena on the local economy.