Buscaino, POLA Boosts LA Waterfront Impact

According to reports from the Port of Los Angeles to Councilman Joe Buscaino’s office, in the past year, the USS Iowa, CRAFTED at the Port of LA, and the special events series at the LA Waterfront has welcomed more than 500,000 visitors to San Pedro.

With $8.4 million in total spending activities, including nearly $2 million in visitor spending locally, we’ve seen the creation of 140 new jobs.   Ports O’ Call separately welcomed about 840,000 visitors, supported 121 full-time and 286 part-time jobs, and generated $33 million in sales revenue in this past year.  These numbers promise great things for the future of Ports O’Call and the LA Waterfront.

USS IOWA

Visitors

• · 330,000 tickets sold (50 percent more than independent market study forecasts)
• · 19 percent from out-of-state
• · 5 percent from other countries

Jobs

• · 110 jobs are supported by museum operations and spending

Spending

• · Museum – $2.6 million
• · Visitors – About $800,000

CRAFTED

Visitors

• · 86,000 visitors since its opening in 2012
• · Currently receives over 900 visitors every weekend

Jobs

• · 16 jobs are supported by CRAFTED operations

Spending

• · CRAFTED has spent $3.4 million to date, including $2.8 million on improvements to their Port facilities

Lobster Fest

Visitors

• · 42,000 guests in 2012

Jobs

• · 470 weekend jobs for the duration of the festival

Spending

• · Estimated 2013 production spending of about $600,000
• · Anticipated visitor spending of about $600,000

Cars and Stripes Forever

Visitors

• · 23,000 attended in 2013
• · 3,000 more than 2012
• · More than double the first event in 2009

Jobs

• · 6.6 full-time jobs, based on estimated visitor spending

Spending

• · Estimated at about $340,000, based on other visitor surveys
• · Some local retailers reported a 5 percent increase in post-event business

Cirque du Soleil

Visitors

• · 47,000 expected guests

Jobs

• · 150 local staff for the duration of the show
• · 23 annualized jobs from visitor spending

Spending

• · Anticipated production spending of about $1.1 million
• · Anticipated visitor spending of about $1.6 million

Ports O’ Call

Visitors

• · Estimated 840,000 visitors

Jobs

• · 121 full time & 286 part time

Spending

• · Estimated $33 million in sales in 2013 dollars
• · Based on 2008 Keyser Marston study economic impact study