MacDill Delivers $2.94 Billion Impact to Tampa Bay, Report Says

MacDill Air Force Base does more than lend military might to the Tampa Bay area. It also pumps money – a lot of money – into the local economy.

The south Tampa base’s economic impact comes in at an estimated $2.94 billion, according to the base’s Fiscal Year 2014 Economic Impact Statement. Details of the statement for the year were released on Wednesday.

In the last fiscal year, the base spent more than $729 million in the local community, a media release from the base noted. In addition, “an estimated 24,486 local jobs were created as a result of base employees’ $1.07 billion payroll.”

While military retiree data isn’t included in economic impact statements, MacDill shared some estimates of the impacts retirees continue to have on the region. An estimated 73,000 retirees and spouses of retirees are said to live within a 50-mile radius of the base. This population has an estimated impact on the local economy of about $1.6 billion.

MacDill has weathered potential cuts and calls for closure over the years with local leaders staunchly rallying support. Earlier this year, in fact, local leaders came together to discuss how to protect the base from possible cuts and closures as the U.S. Department of Defense moves to reduce its spending.

With nearly 15,000 people employed at the base, it is one of the Tampa Bay area’s biggest employers, WTSP pointed out.

Photo of a KC-135 Stratotanker courtesy of MacDill Air Force Base. Photo shot over MacDill’s flightline by Senior Airman Shandresha Mitchell