2011 NEPACU Survey

of College Students in Lackawanna County

2011 NEPACU Student Survey

•  Overview•  Dining

•  Shopping

•  Culture/Entertainment

•  StudentSugges9ons

•  KeyTakeaways

•  Ques9ons

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Overview

•  InFebruary/March2011theeightcollegesanduniversi9esinLackawannaCountysurveyedtheirstudentsregardingtheirpercep9onsanduseofdowntownScrantonfordining,shopping,culturalevents&entertainment

•  Fourthsurveyofundergraduatestudents•  Firstsurveyofgraduate&medicalstudents

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Overview

•  Es9mateofdollarsspentforeachcategory•  Es9mateofdollarsspentforrent,u9li9esandgroceries(new)

•  Directcomparisonstoprevioussurveyscannotalwaysbemade 

•  Studentswereaskedwhytheydonotu9lizedowntownvenuesiftheyresponded“never”totheques9on

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Overview

•  Samplesizeof1,145wasbalancedbyschooltoensuresubsetswerepropor9onaltoeachschool’stotalstudentpopula9on

•  Asinthe2009survey,TheMallatSteamtownwasbrokenoutasaseparatechoicefromdowntownScranton

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Overview

•  Thecombinedundergraduateandgraduatestudentpopula9onoftheeightcollegesanduniversi9esofLackawannaCountyismorethan14,000

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Overview

•  Combinedes9matedmonthlyoff‐campusspendingbystudentsoftheeightcolleges:

$3,649,104 

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About the Survey Changestothe2011survey•  TCMCjoinedthe7collegesthatpar9cipatedintheprevioussurveys

•  Graduatestudentswereaddedtothesurvey.•  Ques9onsabouttheamountspentingroceries,u9li9esandrentwereadded

•  Ques9onsaboutpar9cipa9oninseveraleventsheldindowntownScrantonwereadded

•  Thedowntownvenuesincludedinthesurveywereupdatedtoreflectbusinessesthathaveopenedand/orclosed

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About the Survey Graduateandmedicalstudents•  Whencomparedtotheundergraduatestudents,graduatestudents

aremorelikelyto:–  liveinanoff‐campusapartment(65%vs.16%);–  haveacar(91%vs.63%)–  beaninterna9onalstudents(4%vs.1%)

•  Ofthe66%repor9ngtobefromPennsylvania,moregraduatestudentswerefromLackawannaCounty(59%vs.45%)

•  50%ofthegraduatestudentswerereturningtoschool•  43%werecon9nuingdirectlyfromcollege(withtwo‐thirdshaving

livedoraeendedcollegeintheareapriortograduateschool)•  36%relocatedtoaeendgraduateschool•  Mostgraduatestudentscomple9ngthesurveywerebetween21‐24

yearsold(41%)andfemale(71%)

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About the Survey

Classyear•  21%seniors•  19%freshmen•  19%sophomores•  19%graduatestudents•  17%juniors•  2%medicalstudents•  2%other

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About the Survey

Par9cipa9onbygeographichometown•  64.4%Pennsylvania

–  49%Lackawanna–  10.7%Luzerne/Wyoming–  10.5%Bucks/Chester/Delaware/Montgomery/Philadelphia–  6.3%Susquehanna–  5.1%Wayne–  4.7%Monroe/Pike–  2.9%Lehigh/Northhampton/Carbon

•  12.6%NewJersey•  11.4%NewYork•  1‐2%each=Connec9cut,Maryland,Michigan,Ohio•  1.5%outsideU.S.

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About the Survey

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29.3% Male  70.7% 

Female 

Participation by gender

Dining

•  More than 80% of students report dining at downtown venues or The Mall at Steamtown– 81%undergraduates,83%graduatestudents

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Undergraduate Students 

Morethanonceaweek

Onceaweek Onceortwiceamonth

Lessthanonceamonth

Never

DowntownScranton(otherthanthemall)

3% 7% 23% 39% 28%

TheMallatSteamtown 1% 2% 13% 37% 48%

DicksonCity(includingViewmontMallandCommerceBlvd.)

6% 17% 40% 24% 13%

ShoppesatMontage 1% 2% 15% 33% 50%

Otherrestaurantsclosetocampus 7% 16% 35% 27% 16%

Dining

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Graduate Students 

Morethanonceaweek

Onceaweek Onceortwiceamonth

Lessthanonceamonth

Never

DowntownScranton(otherthanTheMallatSteamtown)

6% 15% 23% 30% 26%

TheMallatSteamtown 0% 2% 12% 32% 54%

DicksonCity(includingViewmontMallandCommerceBlvd.)

2% 24% 38% 22% 13%

ShoppesatMontage 0% 2% 17% 41% 41%

Otherrestaurantsclosetocampus 6% 18% 34% 24% 19%

Dining

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On average, students reported dining off campus:•  Onceaweek:

•  43%ofundergraduatestudents•  61%ofgraduatestudents

•  Onceortwiceamonth:

•  21%forbothundergraduateandgraduatestudents

Dining

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DiningKnowledge and use of 20 different downtown dining

options:•  Onaverage,studentsarenotfamiliarwiththedowntown

restaurantslistedinsurvey:•  53%ofundergraduatestudents•  44%ofgraduatestudents

•  Onaverage,studentswhohavepatronizeddowntownrestaurants:•  22%ofundergraduatestudents•  32%ofgraduatestudents

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Dining What restaurants or types of restaurants would you like to see

downtown in Scranton?•  35%ethnicrestaurants

•  Topranked‐Mexican(17%)andItalian(16%)

•  40%chainrestaurants•  Toprequested‐PaneraBread,Applebee’s,OliveGarden,TGIFridays,Johnny

Rockets,Chipotle,andChili’s.

•  30%fast‐foodrestaurants•  ChickFil‐A,iHop,Wawa,TacoBell,andSonic.

•  15%lessexpensiverestaurants

•  Popularrequestsotherthantypeofrestaurant:•  Openlater,take‐out,outdoorsea9ng,studentdiscount,upscale,andfamily‐

orientated.

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Shopping

•  85% of students report shopping at downtown venues or The Mall at Steamtown – 87%undergraduate,80%graduatestudents

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Shopping

18. How oIen do you shop at each of the following shopping areas? 

MoreThanOnceAWeek

OnceAWeekOnceOrTwiceAMonth

LessThanOnceaMonth

Never

DowntownScranton(OtherThantheMallatSteamTown)

2% 3% 15% 37% 44%

TheMallatSteamtown 2% 6% 32% 43% 18%

DicksonCity(IncludingViewmontMallandCommerceBlvd)

8% 18% 46% 21% 8%

ShoppesatMontage 1% 3% 23% 38% 34%

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Shopping

•  Respondentswereaskedtoiden9fytheirknowledgeanduseofspecificdowntown Scranton retailers in three categories:  – Apparel – Hair Salons  – GiI & Specialty Shops

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•  Onaverage78%ofthestudentssurveyedwerenotfamiliarwiththeApparel RetailersindowntownScranton.–  Approximately84%ofstudentssurveyedin2009werenotfamiliar.

•  Onaverage8%ofthestudentshadpatronizedtheApparel Storeslistedonthesurvey,includingthosestoreswithinTheMallatSteamtown.

•  Closeto6%ofthestudentshadpatronizedtheSalons locatedindowntownScranton.–  72%werenotfamiliarwiththeSalonslocatedindowntownScranton.

•  11%ofthestudentssurveyedhadpatronizedGi0 and Specialty Shopsdowntown–  68%werenotfamiliarwiththeGi0 and Specialty Shopslocatedin

downtownScranton

Shopping

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Shopping What retail stores or types of retail stores would you like to see in

downtown Scranton?•  40%bookstores

•  LargechainbookstoreslikeBarnesandNobleandBorderswerenamedspecificallybutmanystudentsalsosaidtheywouldliketoseemoreindependentbookstores

•  34%majorretailers•  SeveralrespondentsindicatedlargeretailerslikeWal‐Mart,Target,Macy’sand

JCPenney’s

•  27%clothingstores•  ThisrangedfromeverythingfromForever21toOldNavy/Gaptorequestsformore

affordablebou9ques

•  20%other•  Manyrespondentsindicatedtheywouldlikemoresportsrelatedstores

downtownlikeModell’s,Cabela’sandNike.TherewasalsomanyrequestsforatechnologyrelatedstorelikeApple

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Entertainment & Cultural Events

•  89% of students report aPending  entertainment/cultural events at venues downtown – 89%undergraduates,89%graduatestudents

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Morethanonceaweek Onceaweek

Onceortwiceamonth

Lessthanonceamonth Never

Graduate 2% 13% 31% 43% 11%

Undergraduate 2% 12% 32% 43% 11%

Entertainment & Cultural Events

Entertainment & Cultural Events

Attendance at downtown events/festivals

56%

5%

25%

57%

61%

7%

36%

57%

0.00%

10.00%

20.00%

30.00%

40.00%

50.00%

60.00%

70.00%

St.Patrick'sDayParade Pages&PlacesBookFes9val FirstFridayScranton LaFestaItaliana

undergrad

grad

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Entertainment & Cultural Events

Differences in patronization by class year

0% 10% 20% 30% 40% 50% 60% 70% 80%

Freshman

Sophomore

Junior

Senior

GradStudent

44%

57%

57%

71%

56%

17%

23%

27%

31%

36%

FirstFriday

LaFesta

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Entertainment & Cultural Events

•  Onaverage,52% of both undergraduate and graduate students werenotfamiliarwiththevenuesandeventsindowntownScranton.

•  Increaseinfamiliarityfrom2009‐2011:only57%ofundergraduatestudentswereunfamiliarwiththevenuesascomparedto66%in2009.

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Entertainment & Cultural Events

What types of cultural/ entertainment events would be of interest to you?

•  46%musicalconcerts/bands•  17%artshows•  13%foreign/Indyfilms/movies•  12%plays/off‐Broadwayshows

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Entertainment & Cultural Events

Some reasons given for “never” attending downtown events

•  16%don’tlivecloseenough•  15%tooexpensive•  15%deterredbyparking/trafficIssues

•  13%lackofinforma9on/awareness

•  13%notinterested/lowquality

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Student Comments/Suggestions

•  95%oftherespondentsindictedtheywouldliketoreceiveadiscountforshowingacollegestudentID,whichmanydowntownbusinessesalsoalreadyoffer

•  70%alsoindicatedtheywouldlikespecialcollegenighteventsdowntown

•  28%saidtheywouldliketohearaboutsalesandeventsdowntownthroughFacebook

•  25%thatprefertohearbyemail31

Student Comments/Suggestions

19. What is your general impression of downtown Scranton as a shopping, dining, and entertainment desTnaTon? 

1(Poor) 2 3  4 5(Excellent) Ra9ngAverage

ShoppingDes9na9on 16% 30% 38%  13% 4% 2.59

DiningDes9na9on 8% 26% 39%   23% 5% 2.90

EntertainmentDes9na9on

14% 31% 36%  15% 5% 2.64

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Student Comments/Suggestions

Whatchangescouldbemadedowntowntomakeitmoreappealingtostudents?

•  32%beeer/newaerac9ons•  20%improveappearance•  19%improveparking/traffic•  12%studentincen9ves•  12%moreinforma9on•  11%safety•  7%lessexpensiveop9ons•  4%longerhours

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Key Takeaways

•  Sizablemarketexists•  LackawannaCountycollegestudentsarespending$1.594millionoffcampusmonthlyondining,shoppingandentertainment

•  Morethan80%ofstudentssurveyedshopanddinedowntownand89%aeendentertainmentorculturalevents

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Spending

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Spending Sum All 

Categories* Restaurants/ 

Dining Entertainment/ 

Culture Retail Stores 

$0 $0 $0 $0 $0

$1 to $20 $10,360 $3,020 $4,690 $2,650

$21 to $50 $38,325 $13,895 $11,270 $13,160

$51 to $100 $41,250 $16,500 $8,700 $16,050

Over $100 $26,600 $9,700 $4,500 $12,400

$116,535 Total spending per month for 1,025 students surveyed

$114 Average spending per student per month (dining, shopping, =entertainment and cultural events)

$1,594,654 Total spending per month - all Lackawanna county college students **

$2,054,455 Total spending per month - rent, utilities, groceries - all students ***

$3,649,108 Total monthly off campus spending (= $260 per student per month)

* Used mid-point for all ranges except "Over $100" where we used $100 ** 11,636 undergraduate and 2,410 graduate = total of 14,026 *** Approximately $685 per off campus student per month x 3,001 students (21.4% of population)

Key Takeaways •  Opportunityfordevelopment•  Morethan80%ofstudentssurveyedshopanddinedowntownand

89%aeendentertainmentorculturalevents•  Knowledgeofthewiderangeofvenuesavailabledowntownislow,

thereisgreatopportunityforgrowingthismarket•  Manyofthetypesofshops,restaurants,cultural&entertainment

venuesthatthestudentssaytheywantalreadyexistindowntownScranton

•  Studentshavebecomemorefamiliarwithvenuesduringtheiryearsatcollege

•  ManystudentsaeendeventsdowntownsuchasFirstFridays

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Key Takeaways

•  Ingeneral,studentsliketofeelwelcomedowntown.AmongthewaysofshowingthisisthroughdiscountswithstudentIDsandspecialeventsforcollegestudents.

•  Ques9ons?•  NextSteps

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Thank You to our Community Partners!

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