Group Wants To Create College Town In Rock Hill

ROCK HILL, S.C.,None — Winthrop University dominates the landscape and the skyline in the heart of Rock Hill. It has grown to more than 6,000 students and the city around it has also grown.

However, community leaders see too much untapped potential, while many students see a town they consider boring.

"There's nothing to do here," Crystal Wilson, a Winthrop freshman, said.

Sophomore Geri Perano said she leaves for home every weekend she's not working. "I don't have classes on Friday so I leave Thursday and come back Sunday night whenever possible."

Before Perano enrolled at Winthrop she said she heard about Carowinds and all the places to go in Charlotte. Now she realizes getting to those places costs money.

"I thought this was a totally different place before I came here," she said. "Now I do see it as a suitcase college."

For years, city leaders and officials at Winthrop have talked about how to create a college town atmosphere in Rock Hill, in an effort to keep students in town.

They've discussed making shopping and restaurants convenient to campus, adding transportation options and already encourage student participation in downtown festivals and other activities.

On Thursday night, a 16-member committee met for the first time to brainstorm ideas. The group is made up of business and community leaders and one student.

WRHI radio station co-owner Manning Kimmel is a member.

"We have not done what we can as a community to make this truly a college town," he said. "We're ready to get started and see what direction we go in."

The process is expected to last four to five months and will add more voices in the coming weeks. More students will also be asked for their input.

The results will become part of an action plan that will be presented to city and university leaders.

Committee members called it an important step and a wide-ranging look at the entire area surrounding Winthrop. Many see a college town atmosphere as an opportunity for business growth, but also a way to get college students more involved in the city they've chosen as a second home for the next four years.

WSOC