2. UNDERSTANDING THE LOCAL ECONOMY
• The geographic focus: East Lansing
• It has diverse enterprises (banks and financial institutions, high-tech and
insurance companies, education and health care services, non-profit associations,
retail establishments, restaurants, etc.) with more than 900 businesses.
• The commercial vacancy rate is low. 3.1 percent of commercial structures were
vacant in June 11, 2014.
• Several mixed-use projects are proposed for the downtown area will increase and
diversify available office, retail, and restaurant space.
• High student population with limited finances and industrial space is increasing
with manufacturing companies.
4. UNDERSTANDING THE LOCAL ECONOMY
• 2.9 percent of the adult population is self-employed.
• 85.1 percent of the region’s firms have less than 20 employees.
5. WHY PROMOTING CULTURAL EVENTS AND
TOURISM?
• Small local businesses can be advertise and make profits from the local residents
and visitors through cultural events and tourism.
• Expands local economy, More jobs
• Less commercial vacancy & industrial space expansion
6. STRATEGIES
• More than half of Michigan’s Leisure Person-Days come from within the state
itself, and out one-fifth of the Michigan’s visitor days are from neighboring
Midwestern states.
• The median income Michigan visitors is up in 2010, with a slightly smaller share of
visitors days coming from travelers from households less than $50,000 annual
income. About 72% are married and 39% are college graduates.
• Michigan’s top five leisure visitor activities are: dining, shopping, entertainment,
sightseeing, and gambling.
7. FESTIVALS
• Increase local economic activity & access to arts/culture
• Exploit existing resources around arts/culture assets
• Place making
8. CASE STUDY: SUMMER SOLSTICE JAZZ FESTIVAL
• In 1996, East Lansing Arts Commission Co-Chair, Al Cafagna presented the
first Summer Solstice Jazz Festival as a local jazz supporter.
• In 2012, the Summer Solstice Jazz Festival Advisory Board was included and raised
the funds to produce the event, volunteer at the festival and support overall
festival production. Many local organizations and businesses were advertised as
sponsor of Summer Solstice Jazz Festival.
• The financial impact of East Lansing's Summer Solstice Jazz Festival (SSJF) is in the
process of evaluating from EDA University Center of Regional Economic
Innovation Department.
9. SPONSORS OF SUMMER SOLSTICE JAZZ FESTIVAL
• MSU UNIVERSITY OUTREACH AND ENGAGEMENT, MSU FEDERAL CREDIT UNION, LIQUID WEB,
INGHAM COUNTY HOTEL MOTEL FUND FOR ARTS AND TOURISM, MICHIGAN COUNCIL FOR
THE ARTS AND CULTURAL AFFAIRS (MCACA), WLAJ TV53- MEDIA SPONSOR, EAST LANSING
ARTS COMMISSION, MSU COLLEGE OF OSTEOPATHIC MEDICINE, FIRSTMERIT PRIVATE BANK,
FOSTER SWIFT COLLINS AND SMITH, MICHAEL CAMP, NORTHWEST CRITERION ASSET
MANAGEMENT LLC, JOSEPH GILLOTTE, JOHN AND FRAN LOOSE, DON KOCH AND BARBARA
SAWYER-KOCH, DR. CHARLES AND MARJORIE GLIOZZO, ROBERT F. BANKS, DON KOCH AND
BARBARA SAWYER-KOCH, JOHN AND FRAN LOOSE, MSU OFFICE FOR INCLUSION AND
INTERCULTURAL INITIATIVES, COLDWELL BANKER HUBBELL BRIARWOOD REALTY, JAMES
FORGER AND DEBORAH MORIARTY, MSU DEPARTMENT OF NEUROLOGY AND
OPHTHALMOLOGY, MSU RESIDENTIAL COLLEGE IN THE ARTS AND HUMANITIES
