LOOKS TO BRING Major League Baseball to Tennessee
NASHVILLE, TN — The Nashville Stars recently visited Chattanooga to meet with area business and community leaders and to share updates on our progress.
Board member Dave Stewart joined community engagement and operations manager Mia Vickers to visit with Mayors Weston Wamp and Tim Kelly, the Chattanooga Chamber, the Chattanooga Lookouts, TVA, and Hinton & Company to share news about the Stars’ work to bring Major League Baseball to Tennessee.
Their visit shined a light on the Hamilton County market, its growth, and its continuing impact on Tennessee tourism and the region’s economy. It’s another example of how the Stars will be a team that the entire state of Tennessee can support and be proud of.
Chattanooga is a focal point of Hamilton County, the fifth fastest-growing county (by population) in the state, thanks to a 1.5% year-over-year growth.
And just like we’ve recently shown with Nashville’s extensive tourism revenue last year, Hamilton County produced more than its fair share. The 2022 Economic Impact of Travel on Tennessee report by the Tennessee Department of Tourist Development revealed that the county generated more than $1.62 billion in domestic visitor spending in 2022, an 8% increase from 2021 and likewise the fifth-highest total in the state.
“Tennessee is thriving as tourism continues to soar,” Tennessee Department of Tourist Development commissioner Mark Ezell said in a statement last month. “Our industry’s hard work is paying off with record levels of visitor spending and significantly outpacing inflation.”
That income was beneficial for the county in a variety of ways. First, direct visitor spending generated almost $167.8 million in state and local tax revenue. It also saved $1,138 in state and local taxes for each Hamilton County household while also supporting more than 12,000 jobs within the county.
“Hamilton County’s remarkable growth in local tourism stands as a testament to our industry’s unwavering dedication towards becoming the nation’s most competitive destination,” Chattanooga Convention and Visitors Bureau president and CEO Barry White said in a news release in September. “The economic vitality fueled by tourism creates jobs, supports local businesses and funds community projects, all of which contribute to making Hamilton County an even better place to call home.” The city of Nashville and the Nashville Stars celebrate the tremendous growth and continued appeal of Hamilton County and the city of Chattanooga, which adds appeal for the Stars’ wide-ranging fan base: in Nashville, throughout the state and across the country.