Great Article. Here's something to keep in mind. The University's enrollment is approaching 30,000. It will probably see close to 40,000 in the next ten years. That would be roughly 20 percent of the entire city's population.

Is Akron becoming a huge college town?

Nice that they are all coming to Akron. Too bad there are no hotels in downtown Akron for them to stay in. Good going Mayor giving Quaker Square to the University for student housing. Too bad you were not as passionate about a national landmark as you are going overseas all the time.

Fantastic news! Go Zips! Let's hope the men's soccer team goes all the way! They deserve it!

Right - when soccer is your biggest draw - Houston, we have a problem! Hire a credible football coach - say Fat Charlie from ND - oh wait they did that before - have fun soccer moms bet you'll really livin up the old college spirit.

@Linda - The mayor had nothing to do with Quaker Square. He didn't own it and the city didn't own it. Jay Nausbaum owned Quaker Square and tried to sell it to UA on two prior occasions before UA finally gave in and took him up on the deal. All the mayor did was throw a fit when UA bought it pretending he was never prior informed of the sale (Anyone believe that and I have some swamp land in Florida to sell you).

And what does it matter that UA owns and operates QS? It is still a hotel in part thanks to UA for saving it. No one else wanted to buy it from Nausbaum. So, once again UA buys Akron's junk and makes it happen. If UA wouldn't have purchased it, it would be sitting there empty not being used at all for hotel rooms. The market for further downtown hotel rooms is still questionable. That is why we have never seen one bit of movement to build two additional hotels promised by city hall. That UA's success in helping hotels and businesses outside of downtown is a plus and not a minus to begrudge. The Akron-Fairlawn Hilton and the rest of the city should benefit from UA's success too and not just downtown. We need to think macro if we want to grow as a community. Remember, UA is a regional institution and not a downtown vocational school.

Also, I think downtown businesses who aren't enjoying increased volume that other downtown establishments are enjoying should look within and see how they are marketing their establishments, especially with private, off-campus UA student housing just across the street. I suspect their lack of increased volume is more about them than students not wanting to leave campus. The Barley House is further away from campus and the private dorms than businesses located furhter south and around Exchange and it is enjoying a huge increase in business on game days.

Jason12

Excellent point. I just cracks me up that EVERYTHING negative (perceived) is blamed on the mayor. An animal that dies at the zoo is due to the mayor. This is great news for the city. The University of Akron is a treasure for sure and the Mayor has done a good job keeping the downtown are vibrant and successful. Together the city and the University make Akron one of the finest cities in Ohio.

This is all good, the University can be a growth industry for Akron....Cheers to the #1 Soccer Team in America !

WOW!! Sounds like the only real uptick in business, is the bar business. Way to go akron, just what you need, a city full of drunk sport fanatics. Anyway, I hope the athletes that participates in the sporting events enjoy their selves. Good luck students.

There is nothing left in downtown, except BARS and a COURT HOUSE. The bars are a business for the court house. I was born and raised in Akron, I can remember in the 70's, downtown was a nice place to go, especially during the holidays. You could actually take your family downtown and have a good time. Man have times ever changed.

@Todd65,
WOW!! Bars are part of a business network that supports a city? Who would have guessed?

Good for Akron U. It's been a long time since their name has been in the forefront of anything nationally.

Glad to see the businesses doing well now, since the stadium is opened. I don't think they were doing all that bad to begin with, but it's always nice to read about improvements.

Has our other hotel downtown closed? No mention of them filling up, if they haven't.

The uptick is enjoyed by bars and restaurants and especially establishments that are both. Even Pints and B-W 3 just across from the campus serve great food along with some great brews. I've been to every home game so far and enjoyed the bars/restaurants around the campus and downtown. Many people I observed were enjoying both food and drink and so far I haven't seen anyone in a demonstrable state of inebriation.

Establishments that were not packed were the ones with high priced menus.

We are seeing a rebirth in Akron as a result of a great university. And it is happening because we let UA be UA and downtown be downtown. We can take pride in both entities because neither is so desperate that they feel compelled to confuse themselves with one another. This type of natural occurring, distinctive coexistence is what makes a community and its university have class and success.

woah...I agree with Jason12. I would love to see Akron become more of a college town. It can only be good for everybody. I would love to see the UA people run the city! More business like and less politics

The other downtown hotel still operates and hasn't filled. It is still owned by David Brennan but is up for sale. Actually, there was nothing in the story that stated that UA's hotel is filled for this weekend and I believe that is because it is not. I know for a fact that it rarely does fill. Just because soccer players and their families go to the Hilton in Fairlawn, does not mean that dowtown hotel space is filled. There are other reasons why out-of-towners choose to stay in hotels on the outskirts.

"There is nothing left in downtown, except BARS and a COURT HOUSE."

Guess again, Todd. There is the Civic, Locke 3, restaurants, apartment complexes, office buildings and more to come. And, sorry but in the 70s, Main Street was a ghost town.

@ygogolak- I agree, bars are part of a business network that supports a city. They support law enforcement and the courts, I guess that is part of the city. What the bars pay in taxes, doesn't make up for all the extra expense to tax payers for extra law enforcement, public defenders, and court. We won't even mention that fabulous event they call May Day. You know the event where there is a lot of fights and property damage, usually commited by spoiled brats that aren't even from Akron and has no plans of staying in Akron once they graduate.

The only one in the city that truly benefit from the business created by the university, is the bar owners and the university, not that city or the tax payers.

Todd65,

I took my family downtown for the Christmas parade last year. And then we had lunch afterwards... as a family. It was a nice experience. You can (could?) also take kids ice skating (is that still on this year?). You can take them to JS Knight to check out the Christmas trees. There are things to do as a family. Now sure, I probably won't take them downtown at 10:00 PM, but then again I wouldn't take them much of anywhere at that hour.

Gee, if there is that much growth in enrollment, and UA sports continues to increase their presence on the national stage, and that leads to increased demand for hotel rooms, the timing is great since there will be a hotel in the new Goodyear complex.

Nothing would make the grump brigade more upset then multiple factors coming together and working.

@Linda, the city and the mayor never owned or had any control over Quaker Square. The city did not give it to UA because they never owned it.

Other good news= more tax revenue, no safety forces layoffs.

Downtown is great for affordable lunch and dinner. Parking is easy too. After 9PM it's a bunch of stumbling drunks.

I guess that accident Todd had where he tore out his own eyes was pretty grimm.

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David Glenny, general manager of Bricco's restaurant, said the uptick hasn't hit his corner of Exchange and Main streets in downtown Akron yet.
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Perhaps that has to do with the negative publicity generated by the current clientele the business currently hosts (like Mayor Don and his drinking buddies) rather than any failure on the part of UA fans.

The University is remaking Akron into a (gasp) respectable city we can be PROUD of.

Silly me, brought my family to one of those establishments one evening, and sat on the patio. BIG mistake. Panhandlers, people looking for cast-off cigarettes, and general loonies made the experience one we will never repeat.

Too bad, the food was good and not unreasonable.

@Todd65,
What does May Day have to do with any of this? You should move to Hartville.

The ice skating is on this year. Great family fun all winter downtown.

Todd

It will be ok. You can move back if you like.

Todd65,

I grew up in Akron as well and remember downtown Akron in the late 1960's and 1970's. Downtown Akron is more alive today than it has been in decades. Whenver I come home to visit I get joy seeing how Akron is doing. Akron has warts like any other city. But, if you think it bad in Akron. Try going downtown at night in real big cities like Atlanta, Chicago. There lot going on. But. say your prayers you're not mugged while trying to enjoy yourself.

Overtaxed Voter,

If you're going to do your usual negative misleading posting. At least post all the comment your using before putting your negative opinions in so posters can see how flawed your opinions are.


David Glenny, general manager of Bricco's restaurant, said the uptick hasn't hit his corner of Exchange and Main streets in downtown Akron yet

He suggested student crowds are staying closer to campus and that older UA fans haven't gotten into the habit of making a football game a daylong event as they do in many university towns.

TOJ -
skating is still on this year - i work right across from Lock 3 and they are putting the rink up now.

If student crowds are staying closer to campus and the older crowds aren't making a day of it in downtown, then how do you explain their presence at the Barley House?

There are 450 UA students living diagonally and directly across the street from Bricco. Why aren't they going to Bricco? The place doesn't appeal to them that's why.

big guy in ga - I went to UA in the late 1960s and 1970s and lived in and around the campus and you exactly right. Downtown is better now than it was then.

skeptical - thank god for the bums. they make us feel better about ourselves. you could have used the experience as a teachable moment for your kids. "Do your homework, don't do drugs and get good grades you little brat or you will become just like that."

Akron merchants have reason to smile this weekend.

Too bad the fire dept. can't do the same.

MaryAnn,


I think you're looking for this story below. This is the thread for positivity and a focus on entities that create money for the city, not the other way around.

http://www.ohio.com/news/break_news/69871817.html

Todd,

May day was canceled in '99 and has been shut down ever since. Just try driving down exchange on this infamous Friday - it's blocked off, as are the rest of the streets in spicertown.

And as for the spoiled brats that leave town comment, I am one of those who was so spoiled that I owe tens of thousands in student loans. I grew up near Dayton, came hear for school and never left. If you want to see a dying city, go to Dayton. I'm amazed at how quickly UA has grown, what it has done for this city, and am especially happy for the owner of my old hang-out (after Mitch's closed), Pints!

The economic recovery of NE Ohio will be led by the local universities.

Nice story.

This is a pipe dream. AU football is not going to lead economic recovery in downtown Akron. Think about it. Akron may draw 10,000 at most 6 times a fall and downtown is a mile away with nothing to offer but a chain restaurant. Wishful thinking at best. Did Mayor Don pay this guy to hipe this b/s?

@Doug217, first it is UA football. Second, the downtown has much more than a chain restaurant. Finally, the Zips have averaged over 20,000 per game this season.

Over 20,000 per game and we are 2-7. Ohio U is on the verge of winning the MAC East and they can't dray as well as us.

Doug, when's the last time you were actually downtown? Only one chain restaurant? Sounds to me like somebody's been spending a little too much time in good ol' suburbia.

The average draw at UA's on-campus stadium proves it is a success. The Rubber Bowl can't come close to that. tonight's draw was the lowest ever and it was at almost 11,000...still better than most Rubber Bowl games.

We've got ourselves a winner if not a diamond in the rough!

Doug217 - downtown is a quarter of a mile away from campus. Do your math.

Also, there is another campus activity that adds to the excitement this weekend. The Cleveland Orchestra is performing Sunday @3 on campus in the university's performing arts hall. Estimated crowd should reach over 2,000 according to ticket sales. Great sports and great performing arts happening on the same campus and the same weekend. Now that's diversity and that's a true college atmosphere.

and don't forget Steely Dan is on campus on Monday and Tuesday with both shows close to sell-outs. And Manheim Steam Roller is on campus on Wednesday. There is another 8,000-9,000 people coming to campus and supporting downtown at the same time.