Boomtown Tourism and Resident Quality of Life: The Marketing of Gaming to Host Community Residents

The purpose of this research was to compare the tourism development cycle and social disruption theories for assessing the impact of gaming tourism on resident quality of life (QOL) in host communities. Various tourism development cycle theories, all generally based on social carrying capacity, postulate an initial positive change in QOL during the early stages of gaming’s development followed by negative change after the community has reached its “carrying capacity” or “level of acceptable change.” Based primarily in the rural sociology “boomtown” literature, the social disruption theory postulates essentially an opposite effect—an initial negative change in quality of life as the community experiences the transitional stress of rapid casino development followed by positive change as the community and its residents adapt to its new situation. Using data from a nongaming community (Grand Lake, CO), three “early stage” gaming communities (Central City, Blackhawk, and Cripple Creek, CO), and a “later stage” gaming community (Deadwood, SD), the study results support the social disruption theory. Thus, rate of growth is a key variable to be incorporated into the tourism impact literature. However, in concert with social exchange theory, these results are mediated by individual resident attitudes concerning the desirability of and personal benefits from gaming. The study and its conclusions are framed within the context of public relations strategy for casino businesses.