To anyone who has ever hiked, rafted, or gazed from the rim at the Grand Canyon, the value of this majesty seems as obvious as it is incalculable. Alas, we live in a world of political and economic calculation. Defenders of Grand Canyon are called upon to prove its worth in economic terms more often than to extol its virtues when negotiating with those that would cut its critical federal funding. This debate surfaced most recently during last October’s government shutdown.
The National Park Service annually gathers and disseminates an annual report on the economic stimulation that Grand Canyon provides for the state, local, and regional economies. To champions of the park, this exercise can appear as a crass analysis of such a spiritually uplifting destination – but oftentimes we have to meet the critics where they are. And in this day and age, money talks. Follow this link to view the latest report that makes the case that the Grand Canyon is as good for the coffers as it is for the soul.
