More than 70,000 people were drawn by the sounds of artists such as Blue Oyster Cult, Gavin DeGraw and Journey during Lansing's Common Ground Festival last week.
Visitors flocking to the weeklong event for music, food and entertainment helped generate an estimated $3.5 million into the city's economy, festival spokeswoman Malinda Barr said.
But estimating the total economic impact a festival can have on a city is difficult, said Donald Holecek, director of MSU's Tourism Resource Center. The variables include event timing, weather and the big one: festival costs.
In years past, the festival's prime sponsor, General Motors Corp., contributed $100,000 to its $1.2 million budget, Barr said. The city of Lansing funds about $100,000 for services, such as park fencing and police and fire department overtime.
Holecek said the major local beneficiaries of any type of festival are typically restaurants and hotels.
Cindy Bowen, manager of the Sheraton Lansing, 925 S. Creyts Road in Lansing, said it also helps the city in July, which would otherwise be a dry month for tourism.
"I've been here in Lansing in July, and we pretty much just surrender because everyone goes to water or north," Bowen said, adding that the hotel checks out about 50 more rooms during Common Ground each night than usual. "It really helps just from being skeletal to having good activity."
Lansing resident Tanya Beckner said events such as festivals keep residents interested in their city and also draws in tourists, which translates to residents putting their money into the local economy rather than spending it elsewhere.
"It's nice to bring something down to the downtown area," she said.
Despite the increased success of the festival each year, Barr said it's barely breaking even.
Common Ground lost more than $98,000 in 2000, its first year, when only 48,174 people attended, and $33,900 in 2001.
Holecek said festivals don't have to turn a profit or even break even to be considered a success.
Another impact of the festival that can't be measured by numbers is the entertainment value for both local residents and visitors.
The Black Crowes took the stage at Common Ground on Thursday night in front of a screaming crowd. The band delivered its hit songs, as well as rarer tunes, from its decades-long career.
Lansing resident Beth Hultgren said she had never seen The Black Crowes before but was thoroughly impressed.
"I knew some of the songs during the show, but the first few I didn't know at all," she said. "I really liked it."
Hultgren had a Common Card, a pass allowing her to attend each night's concert for one base price and said she loves the festival.
"I've been watching both stages - it's great," she said. "It's been fun watching the crowd, too."
Many concert visitors on Tuesday said they weren't concerned with numbers but were more concerned with the lineup and having fun.
Social relations sophomore Jessica Emerson and no-preference sophomore Jessica Felker waited in line for five hours along with a friend visiting from New York to grab front-row seats at the DeGraw show.
The friends said it was worth the wait because they were able to meet DeGraw before the show.
"We basically came here because he's here," Emerson said.
Tom Older, 56, said he drove to the festival from Burton, Mich., just to watch The Allman Brothers Band perform, a group he's been following since 1969.
"There's a lot to do and a lot to see," Older said. "If I had lived closer, I would have been here the entire week."
Staff writers Megan Frye and Alex Abate contributed to this story.
