|
Colorado Springs Military Economic Impact
Military still fuels local engine
One out of
three people in Springs linked to defense dollars
in fiscal 2001
By JOHN DIEDRICH
The Gazette
The military poured $2.67
billion into the Colorado Springs economy in 2001, again making
it the single biggest economic machine in the area, according to
figures released by the bases last week.
The military's impact, measured from Oct. 1, 2000, to Sept. 30,
2001, - the military's fiscal year - was about $200 million
higher than it was in the preceding 12 months, primarily because
of boosts in pay and construction on the area's five
installations.
The figure includes payroll, contracts and services and other
dollars spent by the military and its employees in the
community.
The five bases had 41,672 employees - 29,218 active-duty,
reserves and cadets and another 12,454 civilian employees - as
of Sept. 30, 2001, close to what it was in the previous year.
The military had the most employees of any sector in town,
according to statistics from local economist Dave Bamberger. The
next-highest category is tourism, with 14,689 jobs or 12 percent
of the total. To put that in perspective, Fort Carson's
active-duty population is higher than all tourism jobs.
While the military is still the biggest economic gorilla in
town, the figures continue a recent trend: Its share of the
economy is dropping as other sectors boom.
In 2001, the military and local defense contractors accounted
for 35 percent of the economy, Bamberger said. That figure has
been declining a point or so each year for several years and is
down sharply from 25 years ago.
In the 1970s, the military accounted for about 70 percent of the
economy. Local leaders thought it was dangerous to be so
dependant on military spending and sought to diversify the
economy, specifically drawing high-tech jobs, the sports
industry and nonprofit organizations. Still, the military
remains strong.
"Put it this way: One out of every three people employed here is
employed as a military person or as a person directly supported
by defense dollars," Bamberger said.
Bamberger expects the military's share of the economy to
continue to shrink, but that could change if Colorado Springs
lands Northern Command.
The new homeland defense command likely would bring only a few
hundred jobs, but it could draw spin-off work.
Colorado Springs is in line to be headquarters of the new
missile defense mission, if it is approved.
Among bases in town, Fort Carson continues to have the biggest
impact, pumping $1.1 billion into the +economy, up $69 million.
Part of that impact is from new housing going up on post.
J.A. Jones, a North Carolina-based construction company, is
building 840 units and renovating the post's 1,823 existing
units.
At Peterson Air Force Complex, which includes Peterson and
Cheyenne Mountain Air Force Station, the economic impact
increased by $33 million and the number of civilian employees
grew by about 1,000. That boost is because of a new civilian
contract in Cheyenne Mountain, officials said.
The Air Force Academy had a $43 million increase in its economic
impact, to $541 million, largely because of an increase in
construction and purchase of materials, supplies and equipment,
the academy said.
The academy is remodeling its huge academic building and the
Cadet Chapel.
At Schriever, the economic impact jumped from $294 million to
$350 million, but that is because of a change in accounting,
said Ed Parsons, spokesman for the base.
In past years, Schriever didn't include contracts from two
tenant groups on the base.
Schriever also is seeing a construction boom. A child-care
center and fitness center were finished recently.
Work is planned for an addition to the headquarters building and
the fire station, new security facilities and a medical center.
Copyright © 2001-2002,
The Gazette
|
|
