Stairway to Heaven & Economic Impact

Stairway to Heaven: A Predictive Economic Impact Report

Student Researcher: Paige McCallister

Client: City of Central, Colorado
 
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This project took one of the three priority projects outlined in the Central City Trails Master Plan, adopted in Dec 2020, and evaluated its economic impact in a city with no outdoor recreation or pedestrian connections. Central City’s objective in building the “Stairway to Heaven,” a proposed incline trail that would connect both a population center and lodging was to attract new demographics to the area and provide a much-needed pedestrian connection. Evaluating national trends on outdoor recreation and utilizing case studies, three scenarios were presented to best show how introducing outdoor recreation can bring economic growth and diversification.