Did you know that the planned Gaston Aquatics project can benefit many aspects of our local economy? Here’s how:
Employment opportunities: Once the facility is built the daily management and operation of the facility will potentially include positions in administration, operations, human resources, marketing, programming, special events and will offer job positions such as lifeguards, swim instructors and front desk personnel.
Vendor relationships with small and medium sized businesses: Maintenance and operations of the facility will include the possible need for services from area businesses including HVAC, pest control, lawn maintenance and landscaping, facility maintenance and cleaning services, accounting services and payroll and many others. These relationships will continue to support and help grow area businesses while keeping revenue and profits in the local economy.
Hosted competitive swimming events: The annual competitive season will bring local, regional and state swimmers, their friends, and their families to the area for multi-day swim meets. Our local Gaston Gators swim team hosts two swim meets annually. Because there is currently not a pool available in Gaston County to support an event with 250-500 swimmers, the team rents a facility in Huntersville for both the Great Pumpkin Meet in October and the A-May-Zing Meet in May. For every swimmer that attends these events, their family spends on average $120-$240 dollars in food per weekend. Families that must travel a longer distance and need hotel accommodations to attend the multi-day meet spend between $180 – $260 for two nights lodging. (Figures are based on averages proposed by USA Swimming.) Estimates show that Gaston County has lost a total of between $556,200 and $2,215,000 over that last six years in potential revenue because our local competitive swim team rents a facility outside our county.
Retail spending: Individuals from the community using the aquatics center will need the necessary equipment, clothing and accessories to participate in these activities. Area retail businesses can benefit from this increased demand by offering this merchandise close to home.
There are additional benefits to the local economy that will result from Gaston County being the home of the Gaston Aquatics center. Additionally, the facility supports the goals of improving the aquatic proficiency of the community through swim instruction for all ages; offering rehabilitation, strength conditioning and exercise in cooperation with CaroMont Health to provide aquatic therapy services to members of our community; supporting emergency personnel and first-responders in their aquatic instruction and competency certifications; hosting competitive swim teams and local, regional and state meets; and offering adaptive aquatics for differently-abled members of our community to develop their aquatic proficiencies.
Would you like to help make Gaston Aquatics a reality? Contact us at [email protected] and let us how you can help.