There are substantial natural and man-made tourist attractions in the county, thus making it one of the top tourist destination areas in Oregon.
Tourism is the dominant industry in Lincoln County.
The economy used to be more diverse, with timber and commercial fishing also being strong employment generators. These industries have diminished substantially in recent years, however, leaving tourism as the largest employer. These grant monies, via the Forest Service s Northwest Economic Adjustment Initiative, combined with State of Oregon Rural Investment Fund contributions and Oregon Lottery dollars constitute the funding sources for the study. The potential economic stimulation of events center-type projects was the justification for undertaking this planning project. The contracting organization for this assessment and planning work was Lincoln County.