Economics
College Towns Fear Covid Will Leave Them as Ghost Towns
Small businesses are counting on the return of students and football fans this fall. With the virus already resurging in some places, that’s no sure bet.
Too quiet for some in Easton, Pennsylvania.
Source: Lafayette CollegeThis article is for subscribers only.
Colleges bring a certain indefinable something to college towns. They also bring at least two definable somethings: students and sports. Without those, many college towns would become ghost towns.
If students don’t return to campuses in the fall because of Covid-19, families won’t visit and patronize hotels, restaurants and shops. If the fall football season is canceled or played with curtailed seating, fans won’t be arriving by the thousands and spending by the millions.