Executive Summary

• A History of Working Together:
  Notre Dame and the Community
• Notre Dame: Michiana’s Largest Employer
• University Spending Supports
  St. Joseph County
• New Income for St. Joseph County
• Campus Provides Local Services
• A Place of Pilgrimage:
  Notre Dame As a Destination
• Focus on Community Development
• Notre Dame Invests in
  Neighborhood Revitalization
• Contributing to Culture in South Bend
• Using the Wealth of Educational
  Resources to Help the Community
• Forging a Future Together

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Notre Dame's Economic Impact
on South Bend

A Place of Pilgrimage:
Notre Dame As a Destination

Starting in the 1920s, the University's football team began attracting visitors. The trend has continued, to the community's great benefit. Football Saturdays are legendary for the people drawn to South Bend, where they visit area hotels, restaurants, retailers, and gas stations. Visitors include fans from out of the area; the NBC broadcasting team, their guests, and other sportswriters; the visiting teams and their bands; and an estimated 20,000 enthusiasts without tickets.

But only about one third of Notre Dame's visitors come exclusively for football games. Parents, religious pilgrims, and scholars are drawn to the nation's premier Catholic university for athletic events, conferences, continuing education, reunions, commencement, orientation, and college visits by prospective students.

• The University drew 673,000 visitors from outside St. Joseph County, who spend $92.1 million with local merchants
• Average hotel expenditures were $75 per night and daily spending was $10 to $60 per person
• Notre Dame stands as the second most visited attraction in the state of Indiana, second only to the Indianapolis Motor Speedway