[rueful]

He noted that Liberty’s diverse population and broad support base lessens the school’s dependence on the local and regional economy: “We are blessed to have faithful donors and students from all over the world studying on campus and online.”

http://www.liberty.edu/index.cfm?PID=18495&MID=12109

Its funny to think that Lynchburgs economy would fall apart if Liberty were to leave, but Liberty would do just as fine (if not better) if Lynchburg died off

[rogers3]

Frankly, I've always thought that suggestions of LU leaving Lynchburg were pretty ridiculous. Lynchburg wouldn't die if something happened to Liberty; no major employer has moved to the area because of LU's presence. The biggest visible impact LU has on the city is the growth of the hospitality industry. I do think that the stability of the cities economy is partially due to the growth of Liberty, but just imagine how things would be if LU's pay scale was closer to that of UVa. If so, Lynchburg would actually be in a much more tenuous fiscal position, as wages would tend to be overinflated and industry wouldn't find the area quite as attractive (i.e. Charlottesville).
I think that LU is much happier being a big fish in the little Lynchburg pond than it would be if it were a small fish in a big (Atlanta) pond. That being said, I believe that both entities are best served being together; local residents shouldn't discount the positive impact the school has had on the overall economic climate in the area and students shouldn't be fooled into thinking that Lynchburg is a one horse town, dependent upon the school for survival.

[rueful]

I wasnt implying that LU should move. More so just the thought that Liberty really turned lynchburg from being like appomattox to being what it is, and what has the city done for us?

[rogers3]

I surely don't want to sound like a typical local, but Lynchburg hasn't been like Appomattox since the early 1800's. There have been large employers in the city for over a hundred years, though historically, many have been known to have a relatively low pay scale. Thankfully, the trend is slowly changing and large high tech manufacturers are leading the way. Hopefully, LU will be involved in the movement; it wasn't long ago that a friend's wife chose to teach at a local high school because the pay and benefits package was better than what she was able to get at Liberty.

[Sly Fox]

Wow, a move to Atlanta reset. Those were crazy days indeed.

[flamesfilmguy]

being from atlanta and an alum of of Liberty I would not be happy about a move from lynchburg to atlanta. the school wouldn't do well down here. they would have to compete with GT and GSU as well as the UGA faithful down here. just doesn't seem like it would work. i know noone was serious but just sayin.

[flamesbball84]

being from atlanta and an alum of of Liberty I would not be happy about a move from lynchburg to atlanta. the school wouldn't do well down here. they would have to compete with GT and GSU as well as the UGA faithful down here. just doesn't seem like it would work. i know noone was serious but just sayin.

The Emory U. faithful are a bunch of dbags too.

[Sly Fox]

20 years ago, it nearly happened. For some of you that is ancient history. But for us Old Hags it didn't seem that long ago at all.

[Cider Jim]

Esp. when a certain faculty member was passing out Atlanta maps at faculty orientation.

[phoenix]

20 years ago, it nearly happened. For some of you that is ancient history. But for us Old Hags it didn't seem that long ago at all.

AH, yes -- I remember it well. I wasn't real happy about it, either -- I REALLY didn't want to go to school in Atlanta at the time.

[matshark]

I think Liberty would do much better than Lynchburg if the two ever separated.

The champion posted some numbers on the relatinship between LU's growth and tax revenue for the city... VERY eye opening. You're talking 10's of millions of dollars in tax revenue. Not sure where they'd make that money up at, but Lynchburg should certainly take better care of LU than they have been, IMO. (hey, city council elections are coming up...)

[Sly Fox]

Thankfully we are no longer in the financial straits of the Late '80s.

[olldflame]

Thankfully we are no longer in the financial straits of the Late '80s.

I have to say our school's relative prosperity in such a down economy actually seems a bit strange to an like me. My first service at TRBC was at the height of the bond issue crisis in 74. Jerry made an appeal in the service and one church member after another came forward pledging to mortgage their home and donate the entire amount. Thankfully God blessed Doc with a financial wizard for a son and the wisdom to know it was time to utilize JJs abilities while he was still around.

[badger74]

While LU would survive if Lynchburg went downhill somehow similar to say Danville, it would not be without a negative impact on attracting students and staff. One thing that follows economic decline is crime. You want more crime around you and coming on campus??

The truth is both LU and Lynchburg have had a very good run the last 10 years. L has kept many key high-paying industries while others in the country have lost them. The payroll at each Areva and B&W is probably double that of LU. The healthcare industry is also growing nicely. Those are all independent of LU's growth. Yes, LU does help with retail, tourism, and real estate so I see it as all good. And I think most in Lynchburg know that having LU in town is a benefit.

[flamesfilmguy]

being from atlanta and an alum of of Liberty I would not be happy about a move from lynchburg to atlanta. the school wouldn't do well down here. they would have to compete with GT and GSU as well as the UGA faithful down here. just doesn't seem like it would work. i know noone was serious but just sayin.

The Emory U. faithful are a bunch of dbags too.

HA! lets not even talk about emory. I could talk all day about what kind of idiot comes out of emory. they may be smart but all that smartness is void of any common sense whatsoever.

[matshark]

While LU would survive if Lynchburg went downhill somehow similar to say Danville, it would not be without a negative impact on attracting students and staff. One thing that follows economic decline is crime. You want more crime around you and coming on campus??

The truth is both LU and Lynchburg have had a very good run the last 10 years. L has kept many key high-paying industries while others in the country have lost them. The payroll at each Areva and B&W is probably double that of LU. The healthcare industry is also growing nicely. Those are all independent of LU's growth. Yes, LU does help with retail, tourism, and real estate so I see it as all good. And I think most in Lynchburg know that having LU in town is a benefit.

Yes, but how many employees at Areva & B&W are Liberty grads? I know of quite a few. One of the things that makes Lynchburg attractive to businesses is a large pool of qualified graduates (which Liberty certainly provides). Given the new engineering school, i can only think that pool and the resulting effects would increase the amount impact Liberty has on the local job market.

How many local companies have been started by LU grads and how many people do they employ? The impact of LU on the local economy is MUCH larger than simply the amount of taxes generated by property, sales and food or lodging taxes. It's provided a source of people who start companies which then create local jobs - which has an even bigger effect on the local economy when dollars are spent with local companies vs. non-local companies. (something like a 1.6 Multiplier according to the LRCCoC)

[flamesbball84]

While LU would survive if Lynchburg went downhill somehow similar to say Danville, it would not be without a negative impact on attracting students and staff. One thing that follows economic decline is crime. You want more crime around you and coming on campus??

The truth is both LU and Lynchburg have had a very good run the last 10 years. L has kept many key high-paying industries while others in the country have lost them. The payroll at each Areva and B&W is probably double that of LU. The healthcare industry is also growing nicely. Those are all independent of LU's growth. Yes, LU does help with retail, tourism, and real estate so I see it as all good. And I think most in Lynchburg know that having LU in town is a benefit.

Yes, but how many employees at Areva & B&W are Liberty grads? I know of quite a few. One of the things that makes Lynchburg attractive to businesses is a large pool of qualified graduates (which Liberty certainly provides). Given the new engineering school, i can only think that pool and the resulting effects would increase the amount impact Liberty has on the local job market.

How many local companies have been started by LU grads and how many people do they employ? The impact of LU on the local economy is MUCH larger than simply the amount of taxes generated by property, sales and food or lodging taxes. It's provided a source of people who start companies which then create local jobs - which has an even bigger effect on the local economy when dollars are spent with local companies vs. non-local companies. (something like a 1.6 Multiplier according to the LRCCoC)

The large majority of areva and B&W employees in positions requiring college degrees come from outside of Lynchburg.

[ALUmnus]

While LU would survive if Lynchburg went downhill somehow similar to say Danville, it would not be without a negative impact on attracting students and staff. One thing that follows economic decline is crime. You want more crime around you and coming on campus??

The truth is both LU and Lynchburg have had a very good run the last 10 years. L has kept many key high-paying industries while others in the country have lost them. The payroll at each Areva and B&W is probably double that of LU. The healthcare industry is also growing nicely. Those are all independent of LU's growth. Yes, LU does help with retail, tourism, and real estate so I see it as all good. And I think most in Lynchburg know that having LU in town is a benefit.

Yes, but how many employees at Areva & B&W are Liberty grads? I know of quite a few. One of the things that makes Lynchburg attractive to businesses is a large pool of qualified graduates (which Liberty certainly provides). Given the new engineering school, i can only think that pool and the resulting effects would increase the amount impact Liberty has on the local job market.

How many local companies have been started by LU grads and how many people do they employ? The impact of LU on the local economy is MUCH larger than simply the amount of taxes generated by property, sales and food or lodging taxes. It's provided a source of people who start companies which then create local jobs - which has an even bigger effect on the local economy when dollars are spent with local companies vs. non-local companies. (something like a 1.6 Multiplier according to the LRCCoC)

The large majority of areva and B&W employees in positions requiring college degrees come from outside of Lynchburg.

Actually Areva works a lot with the community college to train new employees, and then a lot of the Areva employees end up at B&W. Not to say most of their employees come from out of the area, but they do get a lot of local supply.

[rogers3]

One of the things that makes Lynchburg attractive to businesses is a large pool of qualified graduates (which Liberty certainly provides). Given the new engineering school, i can only think that pool and the resulting effects would increase the amount impact Liberty has on the local job market.

How many local companies have been started by LU grads and how many people do they employ? The impact of LU on the local economy is MUCH larger than simply the amount of taxes generated by property, sales and food or lodging taxes. It's provided a source of people who start companies which then create local jobs - which has an even bigger effect on the local economy when dollars are spent with local companies vs. non-local companies. (something like a 1.6 Multiplier according to the LRCCoC)

It is really hard to know if Lynchburg is attractive to new businesses. The last new major employer to move here was Frito Lay, about 11 years ago. Lynchburg had a good run of gaining new industries from the mid 80's to the mid 90's (thanks to Lee Cobb), but very little as of late. Most new jobs have come from spin-offs and expansions.
As matshark said, the biggest impact LU has had outside of the hospitality industry is probably from the grads who have started or who now own businesses in the area.

[ATrain]

Lets not forget Liberty's relationship with CentraHealth. How many nurses at LGH and VBH are LU grads???

[JK37]

How many local companies have been started by LU grads and how many people do they employ?

Prototype Advertising...'Nuff said!!

[matshark]

How many local companies have been started by LU grads and how many people do they employ?

Prototype Advertising...'Nuff said!!

actually, I ran into the prototype boys down at the hospitality tent in martinsville... they run all the print and video advertising for the track and apparently they are doing even more starting next year. quite impressive...

i wouldn't be shocked if someday they owned half of lynchburg.

[JK37]

Prototype Advertising...'Nuff said!!

actually, I ran into the prototype boys down at the hospitality tent in martinsville... they run all the print and video advertising for the track and apparently they are doing even more starting next year. quite impressive...

i wouldn't be shocked if someday they owned half of lynchburg.

Yeah, I'm familiar with the company. I've met some of the people there a time or two...

[ATrain]

I wrote a few things for prototype a year or so ago

[LUconn]

prototype is lame... Oh look at me, I'm prototype, I give away gamecubes! laaaaaaaaaaaaammmmeeee