Gaffney, SC (Fox Carolina) – In the heels of the closure announcement of the University of Limetone, some business owners and local officials are concerned about the financial future of the community.
The University previously said that the school had helped pay around $ 150 million in Cherokee County each year.
“I tell you that I’m just a broken heart, if I had the money to give them, I would do it,” said Emma J. Adams, from Gaffney.
Adams spoke with Fox Carolina while ordering food Italian and Greek pizza StefanosA restaurant she likes both for her food and her university clientele.
“I’m, I’m really (I’m going to miss them),” added Adams.
“Since I open here, I have (I) (I) have a lot of students and teachers,” said Stefano, owner of the restaurant.
Affectionately known to his customers as “Captain Stefano”, he explained that the closure of Limetone will affect his business more than.
“It’s very bad for Gaffney, very bad for the economy, very bad for people here,” said Stefano.
“It will have a significant impact on the economy, because many students, our company, came from them,” added Adams.
The mayor of the city of Gaffney, Lyman Dawkins, III is a former limestone student. He described the financial impact of “devastating.
“You know, they eat here, they get gas here, they are entertainment – so it’s a lot of money that has circulated, even when the parents have visited. It is therefore a lot of money that we are going to lose,” said Dawkins.
Since Tuesday’s announcement, many neighbors have been asking university officials why they did not speak to the community about their financial problems earlier.
“How did it happen? How did the board of directors miss financial misfortunes and things of this nature? Some people want to know who will be held responsible,” said Dawkins.
“I would have liked to know it before, because maybe I could have helped them, you know, do a fundraising or something,” said Adams.
Now business owners like Stefano rely on the promise of resilience of the city.
“I believe in the citizens of Gaffney, when we group together, we are a city like no other and we can overcome any obstacle,” said Dawkins.
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