Is Bend Ready for a 4 Year College Campus in Town? (Green: rental, condo)

[whirnot]

I currently have property in the Bend Area and also Greeley Co. Both towns are approximately the same size.
Greeley has a 10,000 student population. (University of Northern Colorado)
There are many positive aspects to having a College in the area, not limited to Arts, education opportunities for all residents, Economic benefits, and Sporting events, just to name a few.

Student caused problems are pretty rare. Now these observations are based on actual real life exoerience, not supposition. But I am sure Bendlocal will find a way to argue his opinions against facts.......

[BendLocal]

Originally Posted by whirnot

There are many positive aspects to having a College in the area, not limited to Arts, education opportunities for all residents, Economic benefits, and Sporting events, just to name a few.

Arts benefit? Economic benefits? Sporting events?

Originally Posted by whirnot

Student caused problems are pretty rare. Now these observations are based on actual real life exoerience, not supposition. But I am sure Bendlocal will find a way to argue his opinions against facts.......

I lived in a college town for nearly 10 years before moving to Bend. Student caused problems are the norm in areas they frequent.

[oregonwoodsmoke]

I think that Bend can handle the 4 year university. We already deal with the immature behavior from the junior college and from all the stoned snow boarders that move in for the winter.

That particular incident involved the football team and football players (and basketball players) once they reach a certain level of acclaim seem to decide that they are above the law. What the football team does is not necessarily the behavior that you will see from regular, non-superstar, students.

[BendLocal]

Originally Posted by oregonwoodsmoke

That particular incident involved the football team and football players (and basketball players) once they reach a certain level of acclaim seem to decide that they are above the law. What the football team does is not necessarily the behavior that you will see from regular, non-superstar, students.

Reports state that there were between 100-200 students and only a handful were football players.

[Greener_Pastures]

5 examples- well some have already been stated, but here-

-Increased diversity
-More jobs - both short-term for construction and long-term for staff including everything from professors to janitors
-More money flowing into the local economy - students are known for spending in all types of areas
-Volunteering-many would agree that college students volunteer more because they have fewer obligations in life
-Higher eduction opportunities (including individual classes not currently offered) for all residents in all types of areas.
-An option for local high school students who want go to a four-year university, but want to stay in Bend because they love community
-4-year degrees will lead to better paying jobs (some of these might come from companies currently not located in Bend because of the lack of this education but might open locations once a school starts putting out graduates) which lead to higher incomes and an improvement in the local economy.

I could go on....

[BendLocal]

Originally Posted by Greener_Pastures

-More jobs - both short-term for construction and long-term for staff including everything from professors to janitors

The short term construction will be good for the trades. Unfortunately total staff is projected to be less than 500 by 2025. Many will probably be part time and most of the professors will be recruited from outside of Bend. Hard to see much of a long term econ benefit to Bend there.

Originally Posted by Greener_Pastures

-More money flowing into the local economy - students are known for spending in all types of areas

This is a myth. I'm in the middle of helping to fund two college educations. Very little of that money flows to the locals. College students can't afford craft brews or good food so they drink cases of cheap beer and eat at fast food joints like McDonalds and Domino's Pizza. For fun they drink and go to parties. They don't go out to spend gobs of money on entertainment or shopping at cute downtown boutiques because they don't have many residual dollars after the beer bill is paid. No doubt there will be a couple of bars that open and do well selling cheap beer and grub to the college crowd but that won't help the established places.

Originally Posted by Greener_Pastures

-Volunteering-many would agree that college students volunteer more because they have fewer obligations in life

I have seen no evidence of this and doubt it. The serious students don't have free time after studies and part time work. The less serious students don't have free time after drinking and part time work.

Originally Posted by Greener_Pastures

-Higher eduction opportunities (including individual classes not currently offered) for all residents in all types of areas.

Higher education is wonderful but Bend already has one of the most over qualified work forces in the country so this may not be a benefit for the economy.

Originally Posted by Greener_Pastures

-4-year degrees will lead to better paying jobs (some of these might come from companies currently not located in Bend because of the lack of this education but might open locations once a school starts putting out graduates) which lead to higher incomes and an improvement in the local economy.

Another myth. Bend already has a highly qualified work force. Wages are stagnant or falling.

The fact is that 80% of college students work part-time. These students will be competing with locals for the few part time jobs that are available in an area that already has a very high unemployment rate.

[Greener_Pastures]

Haha, maybe you should just move away from Bend to a town that is too small to ever want a university, then this wouldn't be an issue for you. However, I feel like this is simply a topic for you to argue about and refute peoples claims. I get the feeling that is a true passion of yours. I stand by my arguments and each are valid in there own way, but it's not worth my time arguing for them any further.

There are pros and cons to all things in life, and nothing will please everyone. Find a place you enjoy, and be happy there, life is too short not to.

[whirnot]

Arts, yes, theatre programs, music programs, festivals etc.
Economic benefits. Faculty, instructors, support staff. that equals good paying jobs. DUH!

"I have seen no evidence of this and doubt it."

You don't see anything but an opportunity to argue everything. You doubt everything.
IF YOU DIDN'T SEE IT IT DIDN'T HAPPEN.

CAN WE TRADE HIM BACK IN AND GET STEVE PICKERING BACK? EVEN HE WASN'T SUCH A PITA!

[Greener_Pastures]

Sorry, I just couldn't resist the temptation, there were too many remarks that I couldn't let go simply unnoticed

Originally Posted by BendLocal

The short term construction will be good for the trades. Unfortunately total staff is projected to be less than 500 by 2025. Many will probably be part time and most of the professors will be recruited from outside of Bend. Hard to see much of a long term econ benefit to Bend there.

I never said how many more, I said there would be more jobs, isn't more jobs a good thing (no matter how many) or does there have to be a certain amount before it's considered a positive? And it will take more than just professors to run a 4-year university, there would be jobs available to local residents.

Originally Posted by BendLocal

This is a myth. I'm in the middle of helping to fund two college educations. Very little of that money flows to the locals. College students can't afford craft brews or good food so they drink cases of cheap beer and eat at fast food joints like McDonalds and Domino's Pizza. For fun they drink and go to parties. They don't go out to spend gobs of money on entertainment or shopping at cute downtown boutiques because they don't have many residual dollars after the beer bill is paid. No doubt there will be a couple of bars that open and do well selling cheap beer and grub to the college crowd but that won't help the established places.

So, you're situation is an exact replica of every college kid out there? and even if it is, no matter where they spend the money, its still going into the local economy, isn't it?

Originally Posted by BendLocal

I have seen no evidence of this and doubt it. The serious students don't have free time after studies and part time work. The less serious students don't have free time after drinking and part time work.

I have seen evidence, ME, I went to college, volunteered, and saw others who did too, many others in fact. BUT I know, my first hand knowledge means nothing to your argument.

Originally Posted by BendLocal

Higher education is wonderful but Bend already has one of the most over qualified work forces in the country so this may not be a benefit for the economy.

More options for classes (whether an individual class taken by a stay-at-home mom in the evenings or a whole curriculum taken by a new resident student isn't a negative - at best you could call it a wash, AT BEST.

Originally Posted by BendLocal

The fact is that 80% of college students work part-time. These students will be competing with locals for the few part time jobs that are available in an area that already has a very high unemployment rate.

You said it yourself, that new places would open because of a different type of student spending, so these new places need to be staffed do they not? Doesn't that mean more jobs for these types of students? And then more money flowing into the local economy?


OK I'm done

[BendLocal]

Originally Posted by whirnot

Arts, yes, theatre programs, music programs, festivals etc.

Are they building a theater on the new campus?