Albany State University Homecoming Week has estimated $4 million impact on region

ALBANY — for nine straight years, T-shirt vendor James Dozier of Atlanta has erected his tent and sold his wares at the corner of Radium Springs Road and East Oglethorpe Boulevard. While Dozier admits that he’ll probably never become a millionaire selling T-shirts at $5 apiece, he represents a microcosm of the economic impact of Albany State University’s annual Homecoming Week celebration.

“I’ve got family here and (homecoming) gives me a reason to come down here,” Dozier, a FAMU graduate, said. “I started this business because I knew many of the students here could not afford to pay campus book store prices for t-shirts. So I sell, good, affordable t-shirts starting at $5.

“But there’s more to it than just selling T-shirts, sometimes we’ll just give shirts away. We’re all from HBCUs (historically black colleges and universities) so it’s really like a family relationship.”

Businesses across Albany and Dougherty County have been gearing up the past couple of weeks for what Albany Convention and Visitor’s Bureau (CVB) Executive Director Rashelle Beasley says is an important week for the city and area retailers.

“Homecoming weekend is the largest weekend for Albany,” said Beasley. “This is an opportunity for everyone, retailers, attractions, restaurants, you name it, to really get out there and market themselves and get those cash registers ringing.”

According to ASU officials, nearly 25,000 visitors come to Albany for the homecoming festivities, highlighted by the annual homecoming parade and football game. This means every one of Albany’s 2,400 hotel rooms will be filled, with overflow visitors usually staying with friends and family.

“Area attractions get a lot of traffic during homecoming weekend” said Beasley. “Many of them, like the civic center and the amphitheater, serve as event venues too.”

That activity, Beasley said, generates nearly of $4 million in new money for the area.

ASU interim President Art Dunning said the week has a huge economic impact on the region.

“Our most recent numbers show Albany State University has a $140 million impact on the region, and homecoming has an added impact. In addition to $60 million in research grants, the numbers leave no doubt as to ASU’s importance to the area.”