| FOR BUSINESSES | |
| About Trail Towns | |
| Invest Along the Trail | |
| Expand Your Business | |
| Business Opportunities | |
| FOR TRAIL USERS | |
| Explore Our Towns | |
| Riding the Trail | |
| Visit Laurel Highlands | |
| TRAIL TOWNS | |
| WEST NEWTON | |
| CONNELLSVILLE | |
| OHIOPYLE | |
| CONFLUENCE | |
| ROCKWOOD | |
| MEYERSDALE | |
| NEARBY TOWNS | |
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Expand Along the Trail “We built the motel 13 years ago intending to lodge rafters, but over the past few years have noticed a dramatic increase in bikers and guests visiting area attractions such as Fallingwater. There are days that the motel is full and there’s not a car in the parking lot, because our guests have arrived on bikes! We plan to respond to the shifting market by adding laundry and bike storage facilities.”
The Great Allegheny Passage generated nearly 350,000 visits and over $7 million in direct spending in 2002 [Economic Impact Study]. And this was well before the connection to the C&O Canal Towpath. An updated impact study is planned to measure the present economic impact. All signs point to an ever-growing economy and businesses that are tapping into trail-based opportunities. The Trail Town Program works with local communities and businesses to maximize the opportunity that the Great Allegheny Passage provides. If you own an existing business in one of the Trail Towns, this in an opportune time to expand.
Or you can expand your business and cater more directly to those using the trail. Many bikers use the towns to refuel at grocery stores, repair at bike shops, and reenergize at shops, bars, and restaurants. The increased supply of customers offers the perfect opportunity to expand your business. So go ahead and expand your restaurant into a B&B, the first lodging choice by trail users. Refashion your coffee shop as an Internet café. Offer luggage handling to guests planning to ride on to the next Trail Town. Adapt your menu to include items like Biker’s Delight Veggie Wraps or Mile 26 Rocky Road. Do whatever it takes to set your business apart as one that caters to bikers. They’ll be sure to take notice and frequent your business! Interested in expanding? Here’s how you can get started: • Review 2002 Economic Impact Study and the 2006 User Survey to study the economic impact of the trail and trail user demographics. Stay tuned for the results of an updated impact to be completed in 2008. • Visit www.progressfund.org to learn more about business loan opportunities and small business success stories. • Review the business planning and financial resources below. • Contact us anytime for more detailed information on the local markets and business opportunities! Business Resources > Business Planning Resources > Federal and State Level Resources > County Level Resources > Local Resources __________________________________________________________________________________ Business Planning Resources The Progress Fund, Trail Town Program (Provides business coaching, market information, and business loans) Cathy McCollom, Regional Director 425 West Pittsburgh Street Greensburg, PA 15601 (724) 216-9160 cmccollom@progressfund.org www.progressfund.org Saint Vincent College Small Business Development Center (West Newton, Connellsville, Ohiopyle) Benedict Hall, 1st Floor 300 Fraser Purchase Road Latrobe, PA 15650 (724) 537-4572 www.stvincent.edu/sbdc Saint Francis University Small Business Development Center (Confluence, Rockwood, Meyersdale) 117 Evergreen Drive P.O. Box 600 Loretto, PA 15940 www.francis.edu/sbdc Service Corps of Retired Executives (SCORE) (Provides counseling and workshops to small businesses) Saint Vincent College 300 Fraser Purchase Road Latrobe, PA 15650 (724) 539-7505 SCORE@email.stvincent.edu www.scorewestco555.org Johnstown Area Regional Industries (JARI) (Provides a variety of resources to businesses in Somerset County) (814) 535-8675 info@jari.com www.jari.com Federal and State Level Resources U.S. Small Business Administration www.sba.gov PA Department of Community and Economic Development www.newpa.com County Level Resources Fay-Penn Economic Development Council Michael W. Krajovic, President Two West Main Street, Suite 407 Uniontown, PA 15401 (724) 437-7913 (888) 222-5512 www.faypenn.org Redevelopment Authority of the County of Fayette, PA Andrew French, Executive Director 500 Court Plaza Tower 45 East Main Street Uniontown, PA 15401 (724) 437-1547 www.racfpa.org Somerset County Economic Development Council (Operates a tourism business loan program) Jeff Silka, Executive Director P.O. Box 48 125 North Center Ave. Somerset, PA 15501 (814) 445-9655 contact@scedc.net Somerset Chamber of Commerce Ron Aldom, Executive Director 601 North Center Avenue Somerset, Pa 15501 (814) 445-6431 info@somersetcountychamber.com www.somersetcountychamber.com Somerset County Planning Commission Brad Zearfoss, Director 300 N. Center Ave., Suite 540 Somerset, PA 15501 (814) 445-1544 planning@co.someset.pa.us www.somersetincpa.org Economic Growth Connection of Westmoreland John Skiavo, President and CEO 40 N. Pennsylvania Ave., Suite 510 Greensburg, PA 15601 (724) 830-3604 www.economicgrowthconnection.com Westmoreland County Redevelopment Authority Jack Karazsia, Director 2 N. Main Street Suite 601 Greensburg, PA 15601 (724) 830-3050 www.co.westmoreland.pa.us Smart Growth Partnership of Westmoreland County (A resource in green building, applicable to West Newton businesses) Alexander J. Graziani, AICP, Executive Director University of Pittsburgh at Greensburg 166 Millstein Library 1150 Mount Pleasant Road Greensburg, PA 15601 (724) 836-7048 contact@smartgrowthpa.org www.smartgrowthpa.org Westmoreland Chamber of Commerce Thomas L. Sochacki, President 241 Tollgate Hill Rd. Greensburg, PA 15601 724-834-2900 info@westmorelandchamber.com www.westmorelandchamber.com Local Resources CONFLUENCE Borough of Confluence 350 Garrett Ave., PO Box 6 Confluence, PA 15424 (814) 395-5512 Confluence Tourism Association info@visitconfluence.org www.visitconfluence.org (814) 395-9696 or (814) 395-5252 Turkeyfoot Valley Historical Society Lisa Hall, President (814) 395-3820 www.tfvhs.com CONNELLSVILLE City of Connellsville Judy Reed, Mayor 110 North Arch St. Connellsville, PA 15425 (724) 628-2020 Connellsville Redevelopment Authority Ralph H. Wombacker, Executive Director 124 W. Crawford Ave. Connellsville, PA 15425 (724) 626-1645 rhbacker@zoominternet.net Connellsville Cultural Trust Michael Edwards, President (724) 626-0141 cct@zoominternet.net MEYERSDALE Meyersdale Borough Office 613 Second St., PO Box 60 Meyersdale, PA 15552 (814) 634-5110 Meyersdale Renaissance 224 Center St. PO Box 321 Meyersdale, PA 15552 (814) 634-8840 meyersdale@pennswoods.net www.meyersdale.net Meyersdale Area Historical Society 527 Main Street Meyersdale, PA 15552 (814) 634-8654 OHIOPYLE Ohiopyle Borough Office 17 Sherman Street Ohiopyle, PA 15470 (724) 329-1662 Friends of Ohiopyle Ohiopyle State Park P.O. Box 105 Ohiopyle, PA 15470 (724) 329-8591 ROCKWOOD Rockwood Borough Office 358 Market St. Rockwood, PA 15557 (814) 926-2833 Rockwood Area Merchants’ Association Julie Cramer, President P.O. Box 24 Rockwood, PA 15557 (814) 926-4311 jcramer@shol.com WEST NEWTON Borough of West Newton 112 S. Water St. West Newton, PA 15089 (724) 872-6860 Downtown West Newton, Inc. 123 Second Street West Newton, PA 15089 (724) 872-0100 www.dwni.org West Newton Business Roundtable P.O. Box 56 West Newton, PA 15089 (412) 680-2044 (John Markle) jody.nader@dcaa.mil |
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