The Economic Role Of Nashville Regional Airport

The Metropolitan Nashville Airport Authority commissioned PA Consulting, working jointly with Economic Development Research Group, to conduct a study of the economic role of Nashville International Airport on Nashville - Davidson County and the rest of the State of Tennessee. Of particular local interest was the question of how the airport and its economic role have changed since the elimination of American Airlines' hub operation there.

The role of EDR Group included designing traveler and business surveys, analyzing survey results and applying the IMPLAN economic model. Impacts were measured in terms of jobs, income and business sales associated with the airport, airport-dependent tourism and airport-related freight shipping.

This has been called a textbook case of how to accurately assess the economic role of an airport. The study showed how the airport has fully bounced back in terms of traffic levels, and it also showed how its low cost market status has helped encourage even more tourism (which contributes more to economic development than does a hub operation). As a result, the airport's overall role in the economy is currently stronger than ever, and its importance as an economic engine has also increased.