Lake Havasu City, a college town? Lake Havasu City

       When Robert McCulloch started Lake Havasu City in the 1960’s, he brought his chainsaw factory to the desert community and with it jobs. Basing a community’s economy solely on one industry is never wise, as Havasu discovered when McCulloch closed its plant.

Retirement and
Tourist Community
       Today, are we a retirement community or tourism community? In the winter and fall, our economy benefits from snowbirds, while the spring break crowd brings the dollars during the spring and summer. Unfortunately, neither of those industries is stable enough to sustain a community, especially during an economic downturn; something the entire country is experiencing.

       Yet, Lake Havasu City has the opportunity to get a major financial shot in the arm, and add “college town” to its economic resume. A program through Arizona State University, called Colleges@ASU is working to bring small college campuses to communities like Lake Havasu, but to keep it affordable the university needs local support.

Potential ASU College
Campus in Havasu
       We already have the location, the old Daytona Middle School site, which is currently vacant and in the heart of town, walking distance to Main Street (aka McCulloch Blvd).
       The site needs renovation, and that is where the Havasu Foundation for Higher Education (HFHE) comes into play. They are a non-profit organization that has been working to bring a residential 4-year campus to Lake Havasu City. They are currently working to raise $2 million to renovate the campus.

Boost for the Local Economy
       Don’t confuse the effort to bring a 4-year campus with year-round-spring-break. "Spring Break Destination" and "College Town" are two very different animals. While they may have some of the same players, they have completely different dynamics.
       I’ve lived in and near college towns. Personally, I love college towns; they tend to be vibrant and economically stable. Walking down Main Street in a college town is not the same thing as walking along the Channel during spring break.
       According to the National Center for Education Statistics, young college graduates with bachelor’s degrees earned 53 percent more than young adults with just high school educations, in 2008. That alone should be enough reason to bring the campus to Lake Havasu City. Lucky for us, it will also boost the local economy.
       For more information on Havasu Foundation for Higher Education or Colleges@ASU, visit their websites.

Bobbi Holmes 2011