The George

By Nichole Livengood  

NOVEMBER 19, 2010 12:45 p.m. (0)

George Dean Johnson Jr. College of Business and Economics at USC Upstate is winding up its first fall semester and the impact of the school on the City of Spartanburg is already evident.

“I can’t provide numbers this early on,” says Patty Bock, the economic development director of the City of Spartanburg, “but the USC Upstate Business School has definitely made a positive economic impact on the city, and it goes beyond our downtown.”

She says between faculty, staff and students, the school known as “The George” brings in nearly 1,000 people into downtown every day.

Ed Mammott, the city manager of Spartanburg says, “We are very pleased the business school chose to come downtown.”

He agrees with Bock that it is too soon for concrete data on the immediate impact the college has had on the community, but says it is encouraging to see college students and staff on the streets and out and about downtown.

“This will pay off, long term, for the city,” he says.

“Outside of classes, school employees and students are using services in our city on a daily basis, from purchasing gasoline, eating in restaurants to other shopping,” says Bock. “Sales typically rise from summer to fall, when families settle down from summer vacations and college students return to their respective schools.   But according to local merchants, there has been a rise above what they seasonally expect for this time of year.”

Steve Wilson, owner of Papa’s Breakfast Nook, says he’s seeing more and more students coming into his restaurant, mostly during nonpeak hours.

“The college is definitely helping business.  I think it is great to have the school in the center of the city.”

“Sales should continue to increase as students spend more time in the downtown,” says Bock. Many of the students are not from Spartanburg, so it will take time to become familiar with the city, but the city is helping out by providing downtown tours for students and is going into the school to distribute information and spread the word about downtown events and businesses that are ready to serve the new student population.

“The students have also been provided with maps and coupons of businesses to encourage them to ‘meet the neighbors’,” says Bock.

Transportation has been a key piece in the partnership between the school and city.

“Because, for the long term development of the city, we knew that parking was going to be an issue,” says Mayor Junie White, “the city worked with the school to build a 750 space parking garage to be used by the school and other adjacent developments.”

The three level parking garage located on St. John Street is a 250,000 square foot facility with ample parking available for area businesses, as well as Chapman Cultural center and Barnet Park.

“This $30 million investment along with the new parking facility is a catalyst that will further strengthen relationships between USC Upstate, small business and corporations in our downtown and continue to bring new developments into downtown,” says Brock.

Local businesses have reached out to partner with the school by offering internship opportunities for students. Courses offered by the school also allow students to work with small business owners and gain experience writing business plans.

“Right now there are several students working with potential new businesses.  If these projects become reality, the students will have played an important part, learned about our city and hopefully have a desire to stay in Spartanburg when they graduate” says Bock.

The school has reached out to the entrepreneurial community by providing the top floor of the business school for use by new start ups.  Both the City and the school hope it will be a place where big ideas are born.

Bock says a big part of this whole project is about building relationships. The partnership between the City of Spartanburg and USC Upstate’s Business School is a major investment in the economic development future of Spartanburg.

“We are very excited with what we already see taking pace,” she says.

“In five years I predict you won’t recognize downtown Spartanburg,” says White.