A new study by the Political Economy Research Institute (PERI) finds that the New York State park system and its visitors generated about $5 billion in spending that supports 54,000 jobs in the state and $2.8 billion in state GDP. Heidi Garrett-Peltier, a PERI research fellow who conducted the study, says, “The beauty and recreational opportunities parks offer are well known, but this study calls attention to the vital role parks play in the economy.” (Real Estate Weekly, 11/2/17)