Analysts: Arizona’s newest national park could drive economy

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(The Center Square) – America's first national park in six years has the potential to transform a sleepy corner of the Grand Canyon State.

That’s the verdict from natural resources economists such as Dari Fae Duval of the University of Arizona, who believe the newly designated Chiricahua National Park could mean big bucks for Cochise County.

The 12,025-acre site, which has been federally protected for 102 years, became the 64th national monument to get promoted to full national park status this week. President Donald Trump signed the Chiricahua National Park Act into law on Tuesday.

The new park, which is located in Arizona's southeastern corner, is the state's fourth national park and the first since Tucson’s Saguaro National Park in 1994. Duval expects Chiricahua National Park will drive visitor counts and tourism dollars sky high in the heart of the Sky Islands mountain ranges.

“It will bring more attention because there is sort of a premium associated with the designation of a national park,” Duval told The Center Square. “And it’ll be an interesting case to see how this plays out in the local economy and how it translates into growth for the local community.”

Big bucks for Arizona

While Duval said she has not conducted research on the financial impact of having a local state park or a national monument elevated to national park status, she did touch on studies showing how important outdoor recreation spaces can be for rural communities.

“They tend to outperform rural areas that don’t have that outdoor recreation economic base,” she said. “So there’s potential there. It depends on what the community is looking for, but I think opportunities and challenges are there.”

For bill sponsors such U.S. Rep. Greg Stanton, D-Tempe, and Rep. Juan Ciscomani, R-Casa Grande, this week’s elevation by the Trump administration and members of Congress is the final chapter of a year’s-long battle.

In fact, the overall effort's history is longer. Arizona’s congressional delegation has been fighting for a decade, since then-U.S. Rep. Martha McSally, R-Tucson, introduced the first bill in Congress, to upgrade Chiricahua National Monument to a national park.

This week, Stanton told The Center Square in an email that getting a fourth national park across the line in a state that’s nicknamed after one - the Grand Canyon - is a crowning achievement for all involved.

“Making Chiricahua Arizona’s fourth national park is a huge win for our state,” Stanton said. “This designation will preserve one of Arizona’s greatest natural treasures and draw visitors from around the world, bringing new economic opportunity to Southern Arizona.

“I was proud to help move it through the House, and I’m thrilled to see it cross the finish line,” Stanton said.

According to the National Park Service, visitation to the 64 parks contributed $56.3 billion to the U.S. economy in 2024, which averages out to around $88 million per park. The state’s most famous park - Grand Canyon National Park - chipped in $1.1 billion in economic impact in 2024, according to the National Park Service, including $905 million in direct spending.

While nobody is saying that Chiricahua National Park would bring in that type of money immediately, Ciscomani said the addition of another tourism destination to the state’s repertoire is no small feat.

While Ciscomani’s staff did not return multiple requests for comment, the second-term Republican congressman’s staff did send out a press release praising the measure as long overdue for the state.

"I’m incredibly proud that my Chiricahua National Park bill is officially law, establishing Arizona’s fourth national park,” Ciscomani’s statement read. "After nearly a decade of work, persistence has finally paid off, and this historic effort has reached the summit. I’m incredibly grateful to our local partners, whose dedication and collaboration with my office were instrumental in getting this across the finish line. This achievement will preserve Arizona’s rich heritage for generations to come.

“As we celebrate our nation’s 250th anniversary, I cannot think of a better way to honor our history and natural beauty than by welcoming Arizona’s fourth national park, and the second national park in Arizona’s Sixth Congressional District," Ciscomani said.