TagEconomic Impacts(30)

A January 2018 Port of Seattle report presented to the Port Commission details the economic impacts of Seattle-Tacoma International Airport, showing that Sea-Tac supported approximately 87,300 jobs and generated over $11.4 billion in business revenue in 2017. The impacts span on-site airport activities—including airlines, cargo, and ground transportation—as well as visitor spending, which alone accounted for 68,200 jobs and nearly $5.9 billion in revenue. The report provides a comprehensive breakdown of wages, compensation, and business revenue across all airport-related sectors.

A January 2018 Port of Seattle memo prepared for the Commission outlines a briefing on the 2017 Airport Economic Impacts Study, which measures Seattle-Tacoma International Airport's effects on jobs, wages, business revenues, and tax receipts. The study, conducted by Community Attributes Inc., follows a series of similar assessments the Port has conducted roughly every five years since 1987. Results were shared with key stakeholders at a State of the Port Breakfast on January 18, 2018, ahead of a formal Commission presentation on January 30, 2018.

This January 2018 report by the Port of Seattle examines the economic impact of Seattle-Tacoma International Airport, which handled an estimated 46.8 million passengers and roughly 425,860 metric tons of air cargo in 2017. The airport directly supported 19,100 on-site jobs and $5.6 billion in economic activity, while generating a total of $22.5 billion in economic activity and 151,400 jobs across Washington state when multiplier effects are included. The report also highlights the airport's role as a critical trade gateway, including the export of Washington-grown cherries to international markets.

A 2017 economic impact report from the Port of Seattle shows that Seattle-Tacoma International Airport supported $22.5 billion in total economic activity and approximately 151,400 jobs across the region, including direct employment and multiplier effects. More than 350 employers operate at the airport, with on-site jobs averaging $73,500 in total compensation, and the surrounding communities of King and Pierce counties benefiting significantly from visitor spending and airport-related business revenues.

This presentation by Port of Seattle CEO Ted J. Fick outlines the Port's role as an economic engine for Washington State, highlighting its mission to create jobs through travel, trade, and commerce. The Port's Century Agenda, a 25-year strategic plan launched in 2011, aims to add 100,000 jobs through economic growth, position the region as a premier international logistics hub, and become the greenest port in North America. Success is measured by job creation, social responsibility, and environmental impact.

The Port of Seattle's 2013 economic impact report highlights the broad regional contributions of its operations, including Seattle-Tacoma International Airport, which alone supported over 171,000 jobs and $6.1 billion in personal income. Sea-Tac serves as the Pacific Northwest's primary gateway for domestic and international air travel, air cargo, and tourism, with approximately 3,000 Microsoft employees passing through weekly. Combined with marine cargo, fishing, cruise, and real estate operations, the port generated 216,271 total jobs and $19.8 billion in business revenue across the region.

This document outlines a Neighborhood Impact Matrices framework used to assess environmental, transportation, and socio-economic effects of a proposed airport-related project on communities surrounding Seattle-Tacoma International Airport, including cities such as Burien, Des Moines, Federal Way, Normandy Park, and Tukwila. Each matrix evaluates impacts across four columns — Measure, Impact, Mitigation, and Cost — covering issues such as aircraft noise (DNL and SEL contours), air quality, surface and groundwater quality, wetlands, and floodplains. Proposed mitigations range from neighborhood buyouts at $760,000 per acre for areas within the 65 DNL contour to easement and insulation programs, stormwater management plans, and flight track modifications.

In this 1996 testimony to the Aviation Subcommittee, economist Dr. Lynn O. Michaelis argues that the proposed third runway at Seattle-Tacoma International Airport is economically unjustified, citing flawed pricing schemes that fail to account for peak-hour demand and encourage inefficient small-plane operations. He contends that federal funding is being used to bypass local accountability, masking the project's poor return on investment — estimated at less than 1% on a $500 million expenditure. Michaelis also criticizes the airline industry's exemption from pollution-related cost corrections that apply to other industries, arguing that nearby residents bear a disproportionate share of the environmental costs.

This document outlines a development concept addressing the relationship between Sea-Tac International Airport and its surrounding communities. While the airport contributes significantly to the regional economy—supporting over 15,200 jobs and $390 million in annual business activity—local residents have long struggled with aircraft noise, uncertainty about airport expansion, and the impact on property values and neighborhood character. The concept seeks to find greater compatibility between the airport's growth and the needs of the communities it affects.