While Lake Lanier is simply a body of water, one expert on the economics of Hall County claims that business and industry in northeast Georgia would look drastically different without it.
Tim Evans, vice president of economic development at the Greater Hall Chamber of Commerce, said it is hard to describe in words the importance of being a lake-based community.
“There’s a lot of business that’s done as a result of Lake Lanier drawing people, and it’s not just the marinas and Lanier Islands and resorts,” Evans said. “It’s all of the boat dealerships … the hotels fill up with tournaments and events, even our own Lake Lanier Olympic Park venue.”
Tim Rainey, operations project manager for the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers at Lake Lanier said the economic value of the lake is not exclusive to the northeast Georgia region, either.
“Just being able to store water to prevent downstream flooding, and the damages that prevents downstream of Buford Dam is a tremendous value and benefit to the region,” Rainey said. “There’s a lot of homes and businesses in the floodplain or near the floodplain.”
According to data from the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, about 12,800,000 people visited the lake in 2020.
Rainey said in 2019, within 30 miles of Lake Lanier, visitors and tourists are estimated to have spent about $690 million at surrounding businesses, generating about $176 million in labor income.
Even with these high visitation numbers, Evans said a lot of the economic benefits of the lake come from residents in the area, not just tourists. He said this has really proven true throughout the COVID-19 pandemic, as northeast Georgia residents have looked for entertainment near their homes.
“[Last year] Lake Lanier was very busy, the marinas were busy, and boat sales were going so well you just about needed to put your name on a reservation list to get a boat,” Evans said. “I think people found that it was a great place close by, that they could go with their family and enjoy being outside, and not think about the pandemic.”
One additional direct economic impact of the lake pertains to hydroelectric power. Rainey said after selling electricity from Buford Dam to energy providers, the corps is typically able to return about $10 million a year to the U.S. Treasury.
