Examining Recreation Demand for Lakeshore Parks in Oklahoma: What is Causing the Downward Trend in Attendance?

Authors

  • Brannon Daniels Oklahoma State University
  • Richard T. Melstrom Oklahoma State University

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.18666/JPRA-2017-V35-I2-7530

Keywords:

Lakes, reservoirs, tourism, water levels, blue green algae, weather

Abstract

EXECUTIVE SUMMARY: This paper develops a demand model to examine attendance trends at individual state parks in Oklahoma between 1998 and 2014. The model tests whether visitation and thus the decision to visit is affected by reservoir water levels, blue green algae blooms, weather conditions and gas prices, in addition to other controls. The results show that visitation declines by less than 1% for every foot that reservoir water levels move away from normal surface elevation, and 7% for every $1 increase in the price of gas. Since 1998, visitation to these parks has persistently declined, which the model attributes to gas price increases and other time varying (site-invariant) conditions, rather than changes in water or weather conditions. 

Subscribe to JPRA

Author Biographies

Brannon Daniels, Oklahoma State University

Graduate student

Richard T. Melstrom, Oklahoma State University

Assistant professor

Downloads

Published

2017-06-01

Issue

Vol. 35 No. 2 (2017)

Section

Regular Papers

License

Sagamore Publishing LLC (hereinafter the “Copyright Owner”)

Journal Publishing Copyright Agreement for Authors

PLEASE REVIEW OUR POLICIES AND THE PUBLISHING AGREEMENT, AND INDICATE YOUR ACCEPTANCE OF THE TERMS BY CHECKING THE ‘AGREE TO THE TERMS OF THIS COPYRIGHT NOTICE’ CHECKBOX BELOW.

I understand that by submitting an article to Journal of Park and Recreation Administration, I am granting the copyright to the article submitted for consideration for publication in Journal of Park and Recreation Administration to the Copyright Owner. If after consideration of the Editor of the Journal of Park and Recreation Administration, the article is not accepted for publication, all copyright covered under this agreement will be automatically returned to the Author(s).

THE PUBLISHING AGREEMENT

Assignment of Copyright

I hereby assign to the Copyright Owner the copyright in the manuscript I am submitting in this online procedure and any tables, illustrations or other material submitted for publication as part of the manuscript in all forms and media (whether now known or later developed), throughout the world, in all languages, for the full term of copyright, effective when the article is accepted for publication.

Reversion of Rights

Articles may sometimes be accepted for publication but later be rejected in the publication process, even in some cases after public posting in “Articles in Press” form, in which case all rights will revert to the Author.

Retention of Rights for Scholarly Purposes

I understand that I retain or am hereby granted the Retained Rights. The Retained Rights include the right to use the Preprint, Accepted Manuscript, and the Published Journal Article for Personal Use and Internal Institutional Use.

All journal material is under a 12 month embargo. Authors who would like to have their articles available as open access should contact gbates@sagamorepub.com for further information.

In the case of the Accepted Manuscript and the Published Journal Article, the Retained Rights exclude Commercial Use, other than use by the author in a subsequent compilation of the author’s works or to extend the Article to book length form or re-use by the author of portions or excerpts in other works.

Published Journal Article: the author may share a link to the formal publication through the relevant DOI.

Author Representations

  • The Article I have submitted to the journal for review is original, has been written by the stated author(s) and has not been published elsewhere.
  • The Article was not submitted for review to another journal while under review by this journal and will not be submitted to any other journal.
  • The Article contains no libelous or other unlawful statements and does not contain any materials that violate any personal or proprietary rights of any other person or entity.
  • I have obtained written permission from copyright owners for any excerpts from copyrighted works that are included and have credited the sources in the Article.
  • If the Article was prepared jointly with other authors, I have informed the co-author(s) of the terms of this Journal Publishing Agreement and that I am signing on their behalf as their agent, and I am authorized to do so.