GVSU reports regional impact of $730 million

The annual economic impact that Grand Valley State University has on the region is estimated at $730 million. Grand Valley issued its yearly tri-county economic impact report during its April 24 Board of Trustees meeting held at the L. William Seidman Center on the Pew Grand Rapids Campus.

The economic impact report covers Kent, Ottawa and Muskegon counties and used 2013-2014 data. Grand Valley employs more than 3,200 people and enrolls more than 25,000 students who spend money and pay taxes in the region.

Some additional highlights of this year’s report are:
• New construction and renovations pumped more than $133.5 million into the local economy in 2014, creating more than 2,900 trade and construction jobs.
• The new 151,000-square-foot P. Douglas Kindschi Hall of Science will open in August on the Allendale Campus to support the science, technology, engineering, mathematics (STEM) and health professions fields.
• On the Allendale Campus, construction has begun on a new $37 million housing building and a $7.8 million Recreation Center addition.
• Grand Valley alumni now number more than 100,000 and nearly half are living or working in West Michigan’s tri-county area.

The entire Economic Impact brochure is posted at www.gvsu.edu/economicimpact.

For more information on Grand Valley's impact visit www.gvsu.edu/accountability.