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Date: 8/21/2023
AMHERST — The return of students to area colleges brings potential increases in traffic, crowds, wait times for services and also an expected economic boost.
Downtown areas of Amherst and Northampton, already familiar with the changes brought on by the incursion of foot traffic and restaurant business when school starts up.
The student population brings in increase patronage in virtually all areas of businesses, not only in the college towns themselves but neighboring communities where popular stores and venues are situated.
Well before students began unpacking for the fall, the town of Amherst and the University of Massachusetts inked a new strategic partnership agreement bringing $5.5 million into town over a five-year timeline.
The arrangement means additional financial support for town services including fire, ambulance, water and sewer as well as educational incentives for K-12 students residing in housing owned by UMass. At the June announcement, Town Manager Paul Bockelman praised the agreement, calling it “an important step in recognizing our shared needs and concerns,” he said. “[It] sets an exciting new standard for our relationship going forward.”
Far more in depth, Philadelphia-based Econsult Solutions, Inc., an economic consulting firm conducts research on the financial impacts of business and community projects on local climates. From influences like film production on the economy in Montana to intercollegiate sports in North Carolina, ECI compiled statistics on what local colleges bring to Massachusetts. Dividing the commonwealth into three regions, the report identified eleven schools in Western Massachusetts and what their contributions are to the financial health of the region.
The ESI report was commissioned by the Association of Independent Colleges and Universities in Massachusetts, which represents 59 private, nonprofit institutions. Overall, the report records an impact by the institution members of more than $71 billion, including $2.4 billion annually in state tax revenues. That number also is estimated to support over 320,000 jobs statewide.
The Five College Consortium, consisting of private institutions Amherst College, Hampshire College, Mount Holyoke College and Smith College plus publicly funded UMass Amherst provide upwards of $1 billion coming from the private colleges alone. College influenced visitor spending in Western Massachusetts brought in $12 million in 2022 via the categories of food, lodging, transportation and retail.
Student spending under the same categories brought in $119 million to region during the same period.
Back in Amherst, the student population also helps propel new business ventures based upon the extended numbers the college crowds bring with them. Bar and restaurant owners Victoria Torti and Daniela Aniceto began in March with Protocol, their first venture on East Pleasant Street. The plan to appeal to not only the later dining and bar college crowds but the earlier parents and family members. Torti and Aniceto are also close to the opening of their two other downtown stores, a Spring Street whiskey bar and the Amherst Oyster Bar, to open on North Pleasant Street.
The downtown area is expected to see increased food truck business as vendors congregate at later hours as college crowd patrons at The Spoke venture out near Kendrick Park. At a recent Licensing Board meeting, permits were extended for several trucks wanting to do business in the downtown area on bar nights.
The ECI report also highlights specific contributions brought forth by respective colleges, including Springfield College’s forthcoming Health Sciences Center, Smith’s Nielsen Library and Hampshire’s farm and Community Supported Agriculture program, a provider of more than 75,000 pounds of produce annually.