Traverse City Horse Shows Generate $120 Million Annual Local Economic Impact

What started as a few weeks of summer horse competition has become one of northern Michigan's most powerful economic engines. The Traverse City Horse Shows, staged across 13 weeks of national and international competition at Flintfields Horse Park in Acme Township, generated $120 million in direct local economic impact in 2021, according to a Sport Management Research Institute study presented by the Traverse City Tourism Bureau.

The economic report found TCHS had a $120 million direct impact on the local tourism economy, a $112 million increase since a similar study was completed just five years earlier. That prior benchmark, set in 2017, pegged the show's annual impact at roughly $8 million. The Sport Management Research Institute report, conducted on behalf of Morrissey Management Group, states that the horse shows pumped $120 million in direct participant spending into the local economy in 2021.

The spending profile of equestrian visitors sets them apart from the typical northern Michigan tourist. The average participant stayed 33 nights and one third reported a household income above $500,000. The average group is about nine people and spends more than $6,500 a day while visiting. TCHS also attracted attendees from 46 states and 28 countries to Flintfields Horse Park that year.

The economics aren't confined to weekends. Traverse City Tourism President Trevor Tkach credited the Morrissey family's expansion for the city's benefit: "We've been grateful for how much the Morrisseys have grown the show in the last few years," Tkach said. On weekends, tourism tends to peak, so having people in town for the horse shows during the week keeps businesses busy, he said.

TCHS Event Director Matt Morrissey credits the show's proximity to Traverse City's amenities for its sustained growth. "You know the biggest growth is word of mouth. People coming, and talking to other people and the combination of the horse show and the town," Morrissey said. "Not many events have the amenities of Traverse City where they have great restaurants, water sports, and golf that the whole family can come and make a vacation out of." Morrissey also pointed to the compounding nature of that spending: "What you're not only seeing is people spending that money, but when they come back every year, it's a more permanent seasonal impact."

TCHS has spent over a decade building one of North America's premier summer destinations for equestrian sport, with its 13-week season featuring world-class competition in jumpers, hunters, and equitation, drawing athletes, fans, and families from across the country. Since 2021, about $25 million has been invested in infrastructure at Flintfields Horse Park, including permanent barns, permanent bathrooms, and better pavers for the horses. The Hunter pavilion is among the newest permanent additions to the 130-acre property.

TCHS Marketing Director Gary Howe and Tkach have both said the $120 million figure has likely increased since the 2021 study. "Just based on the number of athletes and the amount of interest we're seeing, I'm sure it's gone up," Howe said. The 2026 competition season at Flintfields runs from June 3 through September 20.