Study: Thaden Field pumps $79.3 million into Arkansas economy, supports 245 jobs
Bentonville Municipal Airport—better known as Thaden Field (VBT)—is more than a scenic gateway to the “Mountain Biking Capital of the World.” A March 2025 economic contribution study by NC State University’s Institute for Transportation Research and Education (ITRE) finds the airport drives $79.3 million in annual economic output, supports 245 jobs, generates $19.9 million in labor income, and contributes $2.0 million in state and local tax revenue.
Why it matters
The report credits VBT with strengthening Northwest Arkansas’ business and visitor economy—linking corporate travelers headed to Walmart and other major employers, funneling tourists to Crystal Bridges and The Momentary, and serving outdoor visitors who come for world-class trails. It also underscores VBT’s role in emergency and medical response, including air ambulance access to regional facilities.
By the numbers (2024 dollars)
245 jobs sustained by airport-related activity (direct, indirect, induced).
$79.3M total output (business revenues).
$19.9M in earnings for employees.
$2.0M in state & local taxes.
Breakdown of effects:
Direct: 140 jobs, $58.9M output, $14.2M labor income.
Indirect (supply chain): 35 jobs, $8.5M output.
Induced (household spending): 70 jobs, $11.9M output.
How the study measured impact
Researchers combined on-airport and off-airport activity and modeled ripple effects using IMPLAN (2023 data year; results in 2024 dollars). Inputs included an airport manager survey of operating expenditures, FAA Airport Improvement Program (AIP) capital funds, and a survey of major airport users and tenants to quantify jobs and sales tied to VBT.
For visitor spending, analysts used Placer.ai to estimate airport-facilitated visits to Arkansas businesses and linked those visits to Data Axle sales figures to attribute annual spending back to the airport.
The study also quantified market access from business travel, applying a conservative 3:1 return on investment for sales generated by trips that originate at VBT—an approach grounded in prior national research but tuned downward for caution.
Key assumptions on travel mix
To apportion effects, the report assumes VBT’s activity comprises six traveler types. Estimated shares:
Incoming: leisure 20%, business 17.5%, homebound 12.5%
Outgoing: leisure 20%, business 17.5%, homebound 12.5%
FAA 5010 data show 11,200 itinerant operations in 2023, with 17.5% estimated as outbound business travel. Trip-cost and length assumptions were applied (e.g., a mix of 1-night and 3-night business stays) to model spending.
Context: A small airport with outsized reach
Flying Magazine has called Bentonville’s municipal field the “coolest airport in the country,” a reputation the study says dovetails with its dual identity: backcountry aviation magnet and business connector. With proximity to dozens of regional airstrips and to major corporate and cultural anchors, the airport’s footprint extends well beyond Bentonville’s city limits.
