Modifying the Tourism Impact Attitude Scale (TIAS) to explore casino impacts and resident attitudes

Date of Completion

January 2003

Keywords

Sociology, Public and Social Welfare|Recreation

Degree

Ph.D.

Abstract

Prior research suggested the need to explore specific tourism impacts (Rollins, 1997) with the use of reliable instruments. This research investigation included an exploratory analysis of casino development and resident attitudes in Southeastern Connecticut using a modified version of the TIAS. The Tourism Impact Attitude Scale (TIAS) has been tested cross culturally (Lankford, 2003) demonstrating high levels of reliability to examine tourism impacts; but the TIAS modification for investigating specific tourism developments has not yet been explored. A simple random sample (400) of 8,500 registered voters in Montville, Connecticut, were surveyed (n = 218) about their attitudes toward the Mohegan Sun casino. ^ Results of the overall alpha reliability (.94) suggested that the modified TIAS is a reliable instrument for examining casino impacts. Principal axis and principal component factor analysis and qualitative results indicated the need to investigate this topic further. Overall, the attitudes about casino development of resident voters in the study sample indicated that opinions varied, and that, in general, many residents did not feel that they were benefiting directly from the development of the Mohegan Sun casino. Multiple regression analysis generated seven significant predictors, identified to influence a resident voter's attitude toward casino development in Montville, Connecticut. ^

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