Economic Impact
Port Columbus, Rickenbacker and Bolton Field airports are more than just airplanes and runways. According to the January 2005 independent economic impact study they also mean thousands of jobs, millions of dollars in paychecks and billions of dollars in total economic activity.
The economic impact study followed a proven, FAA-supported methodology that considered all on-airport aviation activities, capital improvement projects, visitor related expenditures and their ripple effects.
According to the study, the total impact of the three airports results in nearly 30,000 jobs, $793.1 million in payroll and $2.7 billion in annual economic activity.
Below is a chart that summarizes the economic impact of each airport and their combined effect on the Central Ohio Region.
| Port Columbus International Airport | |||
| Jobs | Annual Payroll | Annual Economic Activity | |
| Airport Tenants | |||
| First-Round | 5,828 | $229.8 Million | $851.3 Million |
| Second-Round | 6,920 | $174.1 Million | $721.7 Million |
| Total | 12,748 | $403.9 Million | $1.6 Billion |
| Commercial Service Visitor Industry | |||
| First-Round | 7,155 | $134.6 Million | $368.2 Million |
| Second-Round | 3,323 | $79.6 Million | $230.4 Million |
| Total | 10,478 | $214.2 Million | $598.6 Million |
| General Aviation Visitor Industry | |||
| First-Round | 211 | $4.1 Million | $9.7 Million |
| Second-Round | 83 | $2.6 Million | $7.1 Million |
| Total | 294 | $6.7 Million | $16.8 Million |
| Total | 23,520 | $624.8 Million | $2.2 Billion |
| Rickenbacker International Airport | |||
| Jobs | Annual Payroll | Annual Economic Activity | |
| Airport Tenants | |||
| First-Round | 3,133 | $102.5 Million | $254.8 Million |
| Second-Round | 3,085 | $59.4 Million | $288.0 Million |
| Total | 6,218 | $161.9 Million | $542.8 Million |
| Commercial Service Visitor Industry | |||
| First-Round | 44 | $836,000 | $2.5 Million |
| Second-Round | 20 | $494,200 | $1.6 Million |
| Total | 64 | $1.3 Million | $4.1 Million |
| General Aviation Visitor Industry | |||
| First-Round | 13 | $252,200 | $603,700 |
| Second-Round | 5 | $162,500 | $443,100 |
| Total | 18 | $414,700 | $1.0 Million |
| Total | 6,300 | $163.6 Million | $547.9 Million |
| Bolton Field Airport | |||
| Jobs | Annual Payroll | Annual Economic Activity | |
| Airport Tenants | |||
| First-Round | 58 | $2.1 Million | $4.3 Million |
| Second-Round | 73 | $1.6 Million | $3.9 Million |
| Total | 131 | $3.7 Million | $8.2 Million |
| General Aviation Visitor Industry | |||
| First-Round | 31 | $601,400 | $1.4 Million |
| Second-Round | 12 | $387,400 | $1.1 million |
| Total | 43 | $988,800 | $2.5 Million |
| Total | 174 | $4.7 Million | $10.7 Million |
| Total | 29,994 | $793.1 Million | $2.7 Billion |
For more information, view the Economic Impact Brochure or the full report.
