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Senate honors Utah Shakespeare Festival on 50th anniversary, cites economic benefits
Summary
The Utah Senate presented a citation recognizing the Utah Shakespeare Festival's 50th anniversary and noted the festival's economic contribution; floor comments included two differing figures for economic impact that the Senate did not reconcile on the record.
The Utah Senate on Feb. 1, 2011, read and approved an official citation honoring the Utah Shakespeare Festival on its 50th anniversary and congratulated festival leaders visiting the chamber. Senator Stoll introduced the guests (including Fred Adams, Scott Phillips and Michael Benson) and the clerk read a citation summarizing the festival’s history and contributions to Cedar City and the state.
The citation text read that the Utah Shakespeare Festival "promotes and encourages tourism ... resulting in an annual economic benefit of over $60,000,000 to benefit Cedar City, Iron County and the entire state." During floor remarks a senator referred to a larger figure, saying the festival "brings in about $600,000,000 in economic activity to the state of Utah." The two numbers appear in separate parts of the floor record; the Senate floor did not provide a reconciled figure at the time of the citation.
Senators from both parties praised the festival’s contributions to rural Utah’s cultural life, noted national recognition (including a Tony Award referenced in the citation), and thanked festival leaders present in the chamber. The citation will be formally presented in the House as well.
Ending note: the citation was read on the Senate floor and the measure will be presented in the House; reporters seeking a definitive economic-impact figure should check the festival’s published economic-impact studies or the citation text circulated by the Legislature for the official number.
