>> COMING UP TONIGHT: A NEW HOUSING SERVICES CENTER OPENS THEIR DOORS IN SYRACUSE.

THEN SEE FIRSTHAND HOW ONE ORGANIZATION IS BUILDING OUT AN E-SPORTS COMMUNITY.

AND OUR SPOTLIGHT EXAMINES THE RIPPLE EFFECTS OF CAZENOVIA COLLEGE CLOSING ITS DOORS -- ON THE MONEY BEGINS RIGHT NOW • ♪ ♪ GOOD EVENING AND WELCOME TO ON THE MONEY, WCNY'S FINANCIAL AND ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT PROGRAM - THINK OF IT AS YOUR LOCAL FINANCIAL NEWS PROGRAM FEATURING SOME INTERESTING PEOPLE, BUSINESSES AND HAPPENINGS FROM EVERY CORNER OF CENTRAL NEW YORK.

I'M YOUR HOST, LAIZA SEMIDEY.

DURING OUR SEASON WE'LL SEE WHERE MONEY IS BEING MADE, SPENT AND SOMETIMES LOST AND FOCUS ON PROJECTS AND ACTIVITIES AFFECTING US LOCALLY.

OUR FIRST REPORT KEEPS US RIGHT HERE IN SYRACUSE.

CATHOLIC CHARITIES HOUSING SERVICES CENTER RECENTLY RELOCATED TO ERIE BOULEVARD.

WITH NEARLY $14 MILLION IN FUNDING, THE ONONDAGA COUNTY NOT-FOR-PROFIT HAS EXPANDED THEIR SERVICES FOR HOMELESS MEN BY ESTABLISHING AN 80-BED EMERGENCY SHELTER, ONSITE HEALTH CLINIC, AND MENTAL HEALTH SERVICES.

TAKE A LOOK.

>> CATHOLIC CHARITIES OF ONONDAGA COUNTY IS A HUMAN SERVICES ORGANIZATION.

WE WORK WITH ABOUT 15,000 PEOPLE A YEAR RANGING FROM AGE FROM INFANTS TO SENIOR CITIZENS AND WE WORK WITH THE MOST VULNERABLE AND GREATEST NEED.

OUR MISSION IS TO BRING COMFORT AND RELIEF TO THOSE WHO ARE STRUGGLING AND IN GREAT PAIN, TO INSTILL HOPE, AND TO ACT AS AN INSTRUMENT OF CHANGE.

SO SOME OF THE KEY ISSUES AND STRUGGLES THAT WE SEE IN THE COMMUNITY, FIRST, THERE IS JUST A LACK OF AFFORDABLE HOUSING WHERE INDIVIDUALS WHO BECOME HOUSING VULNERABLE CAN'T AFFORD THEIR RENT, BECOME EVICTED AND THEY ENTER INTO THE HOMELESS SYSTEM.

AND THEN WE HAVE CRISIS RESPONSE SERVICES AND FOOD PANTRY MANDELA SERVICES, ALL DESIGNED TO PREVENT PEOPLE FROM BECOMING HOMELESS.

THE SECONDARY STRUGGLE IS WE SEE FOLKS PARTICULARLY IN THE HOMELESS COMMUNITY WHO STRUGGLE WITH ISSUES LIKE SUBSTANCE ABUSE, MENTAL HEALTH ISSUES, MOST OF THESE ISSUES ARE UNTREATED.

AND THAT LEADS TO A SERIES SERIOUS SET OF CIRCUMSTANCES WHERE THEY END UP WITH US AND WE BEGIN TO WORK WITH THEM TO ADDRESS THOSE ISSUES.

>> THE PERMANENT SUPPORTIVE HOUSING PROGRAM IS ONE OF THE KEY STRATEGIES TO REDUCING HOMELESSNESS IN OUR COMMUNITY.

AND ESSENTIALLY, WHAT WE DO IN PERMANENT SUPPORTIVE HOUSING IS FOR INDIVIDUALS WHO HAVE BEEN HOMELESS AT LEAST ONCE IN THE LAST 12 MONTHS, AND HAVE A DISABLING CONDITION, THEY ARE ELIGIBLE, WHICH MEANS WE CAN MOVE THEM INTO AN APARTMENT.

WE WILL PAY THEIR RENT.

THIS IS ALL SUBSIDIZED THROUGH HUD.

WE WILL ENGAGE LANDLORDS AND WORK WITH LANDLORDS AND THEN PROVIDE CASE MANAGEMENT SERVICES TO THOSE INDIVIDUALS.

SO WHAT WE ARE ABLE TO DO ON PERMANENT SUPPORTIVE HOUSING IS GET FOLKS OUT OF SHELTER AND GET THEM BACK INTO THE COMMUNITY AND PROVIDE THE SUPPORTS THAT THEY NEED.

OUR DATA IS VERY PROMISING AND OVER 95% OF THE CASES A YEAR LATER, AND LONGER, THESE INDIVIDUALS ARE STILL LIVING IN THEIR OWN APARTMENT.

THAT BEING SAID, IT REDUCES THE NEED FOR SHELTERS BECAUSE WE ARE ABLE TO MOVE FOLKS WHO WOULD OTHERWISE BE STUCK IN SHELTER AND HAVE TO STAY IN SHELTERS MUCH, MUCH LONGER, WE ARE ABLE TO IDENTIFY THEM AND MOVE THEM INTO THEIR OWN APARTMENT.

SO THERE ARE TWO FORMS OF FUNDING FOR THE HOUSING SERVICES CENTER.

THE FIRST SET OF FUNDS WAS REALLY TO CONSTRUCT THIS LOCATION.

THIS IS A $14 MILLION HOUSING CIVILIANSES CENTER THAT PROVIDES COMPREHENSIVE SERVICES AND FUNDS CAME TO US FROM NEW YORK STATE, THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT, ONONDAGA COUNTY, THE CITY OF SYRACUSE AS WELL AS DONORS.

AND THAT'S JUST TO CREATE THIS FACILITY.

THE SECOND SOURCE OF FUNDS ARE REALLY OPERATIONAL FUNDS; HOW WE MAKE THE MACHINE WORK EVERY DAY.

AND THOSE FUNDS PRIMARILY COME TO US FROM ONONDAGA COUNTY, JUST THE SHELTER SIDE OF THIS OPERATION IS ABOUT A $2 MILLION COMMITMENT THAT THE COUNTY MAKES TO US TO SHELTER THE HOMELESS.

>> A FACILITY LIKE THIS IS NEEDED BECAUSE WHEN YOU LOOK AT HOMELESSNESS IN OUR COMMUNITY, FIRST OFF, ALARMINGLY, IT'S ON THE RISE.

IT'S UP ABOUT 30% FROM LAST YEAR SO FACILITIES LIKE THIS, WHERE WE CAN PROVIDE COMPREHENSIVE SERVICES TO FOLKS WHO ARE HOUSING VULNERABLE AND HOMELESS IS AN IMMEDIATE RESPONSE TO THE HOMELESS ISSUES AND CRISIS IN OUR COMMUNITY.

AND SECONDLY, WE BELIEVE THAT IT IS AN OPPORTUNITY TO TAKE FOLKS WHO ARE REALLY STRUGGLING AND HELP THEM TO BECOME PART OF OUR COMMUNITY AGAIN.

SO THIS CENTER, THIS HOUSING SERVICES CENTER REPRESENTS ALL OF THAT WORK.

>> OUR THANKS AGAIN TO MIKE MELARA.

UP NEXT IS COMMON CENTS AND JOINING US TONIGHT IS HASAN STEPHENS, CEO OF THE GOODLIFE FOUNDATION.

THANK YOU FOR COMING TODAY.

>> THANK YOU FOR HAVING ME.

>> I'M SO EXCITED TO BRING YOU ON BECAUSE YOU ARE AN ENTREPRENEUR, A LEADER THAT HAS UTILIZED AND MAXIMIZED A.I.

WHY?

>> WELL, WE HAVE TO BE ABLE TO CHANGE WITH THE TIMES.

AND AS FAR AS I SEE, NON-PROFIT OFTEN TIMES LACKS THE ABILITY TO UTILIZE INNOVATION TO REMAIN RELEVANT AND ALSO TO BE EFFICIENT.

>> GOTCHA.

SO IN THOSE TERMS, WHAT WOULD BE YOUR TOP THREE PLATFORMS THAT YOU USE TO HELP YOU AND YOUR ORGANIZATION OVERALL?

>> GREAT.

CHATGPT IS MY NUMBER 1 GO TO.

IT CAN DO ANYTHING MY ADMINISTRATIVE ASSISTANT DOES INCLUDING GIVE YOU INFORMATION THAT YOU ARE DOING RESEARCH ON.

HAVE YOU TO KNOW HOW TO SPEAK TO IT BUT I CAN ENTER IN A REQUEST TO DRAW UP A CONTRACT, NOR ME TO DO THIS, THAT AND A THIRD AND IT WILL KNOCK IT OUT IN FIVE SECONDS AND YOU CAN TAKE THAT, SEND IT TO LEGAL, HAVE THEM LOOK IT OVER AND THERE YOU HAVE IT.

NUMBER 2: WOULD BE MID JOURNEY WHICH DESIGNS, CREATES IMAGERY.

WE ACTUALLY USE MID JOURNEY FOR OUR WEBSITE AND OUR WRAPS AND BROCHURES AND LAST, WOULD I PROBABLY SAY KANVA, IT IS NOT A.I.

DIRECTLY BUT HAS AN A.I.

INTEGRATION THAT ALLOWS YOU TO WORK WITH CHATGPT TO TELL IT TO DESIGN A LOGO ARE IN ANYTHING YOU NEED FROM NEWSLETTERS TO BROCHURES TO ANYTHING ELSE.

>> VERY QUICKLY.

ANY COST TO THESE TOOLS?

>> SO ALL OF THOSE ARE FREE.

THEY HAVE FREE VERSIONS OF IT.

WE DECIDED TO INVEST AND PAY FOR THE HIGHER VERSIONS BECAUSE WE HAVE LEARNED HOW TO INTEGRATE IT, TALK TO IT AND TO REALLY MAP IT OUT ACROSS OUR AGENCY.

IT'S WORTH IT.

>> SO WE HAVE CHATGPT, MID JOURNEY AND KANVA THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR COMING ON TODAY.

C.E.O.

OF THE GOOD LIFE FOUNDATION, OUR THANKS AGAIN TO HASAN STEPHENS, CEO OF THE GOODLIFE FOUNDATION FOR JOINING US TO MILLION BY 2025.

THE GLOBAL ESPORTS MARKET, VALUED AT $1.4 BILLION IN 2021, IS EXPECTED TO REACH $1.9 BILLION BY 2025.

THIS INFORMATION UNDERSCORES THE SIGNIFICANCE OF ELITE GAMING IN SYRACUSE, AS THEY AIM TO EXPAND THE ESPORTS ECOSYSTEM, HIGHLIGHTING A MISSION BEYOND MERE FINANCIAL GAINS.

>> ELITE GAMING IS AN IDEA THAT MY CO-FOUNDER AND I CAME UP WITH TO BRING THE GAMING COMMUNITY TOGETHER IN UPSTATE NEW YORK.

WE DECIDED THE BEST WAY TO DO THAT IS TO BUILD A FACILITY WHERE GAMERS CAN GET TOGETHER, HAVE FUN, COMPETE IN A SAFE PLACE.

WITH ALL THE EQUIPMENT AND EVERYTHING WE HAVE INVESTED HERE, WE ARE WELL OVER A QUARTER MILLION DOLLARS TO GET WHERE WE ARE TODAY.

WE ARE ALL SELF FINANCED SO FAR.

SCARY AS WELL.

SO E-SPORTS IS THE COMPETITIVE SIDE OF VIDEO GAMING.

THE GAMING INDUSTRY AS A WHOLE IS A $200 BILLION A YEAR INDUSTRY.

BIGGER THAN THE MOVIE AND MUSIC INDUSTRIES COMBINED.

IF WE CAN BRING A FRACTION OF THAT HERE TO SYRACUSE, BY BRINGING THE GAMING INDUSTRY AND THE GAMING ECOSYSTEM HERE, AND PROVIDING JOB OPPORTUNITIES FOR PEOPLE LIVING HERE SO THEY DON'T HAVE TO TRANSPLANT AND GO TO OTHER PARTS OF THE COUNTRY, I THINK THAT WOULD BE A HUGE WIN.

AND WHO KNOWS, MAYBE WE COULD EVEN GET SOME OF THE BIG GAME PUBLISHERS TO SET UP A SMALL SHOP HERE.

THERE IS A LOT OF OPPORTUNITY.

NOT TO MENTION THE TOURISM PIECE, TOO.

HOLDING LARGE SCALE TOURNAMENTS HERE, WHICH WE PLAN ON DOING.

WE PLAN ON MAYBE RENTING THE WAR MEMORIAL OR THE ONN CENTER AND HOLD LARGE TOURNAMENTS HERE WHICH WILL DRAW PEOPLE IN FROM ALL OVER THE NORTHEAST.

SYRACUSE IS DEFINITELY A GREAT PLACE FOR E-SPORTS.

IT'S BRAND NEW TO THE AREA.

IT HAS NOT BEEN DONE BEFORE.

WE ARE THE FIRST FACILITY OF ITS KIND IN UPSTATE NEW YORK.

WE ARE GOING TO PROVIDE A GOOD PRAYS FOR PEOPLE TO GET TOGETHER.

WE WILL HAVE IN OUR FACILITIES SO THEY CAN GET TOGETHER AND GAME TOGETHER.

THERE IS A LOT OF SOFT SKILLS YOU PRACTICE WHAT YOU ARE GAMING.

FOR INSTANCE, YOU ARE WORKING WITH A TEAM SO IT'S TEAM BUILDING, TEAM COMMUNICATION.

CERTAIN GAMES YOU HAVE TO HAVE TIME MANAGEMENT SKILLS.

PROBLEM SOLVING, GAMING IS PROBLEM SOLVING, RIGHT?

STRATEGY.

ALL SORTS OF THINGS-LIKE THAT, ALL WRAPPED INTO BEING COMPETITIVE IN GAMING.

VERY MUCH LIKE TRADITIONAL STICK AND BALL SPORTS, SOCCER, LACROSSE, ALL OF THE THE THINGS THAT YOU GET SOFT SKILLS WISE FROM THE SPORTS, YOU ALSO GET WITH E-SPORTS.

>> I AM COLLECTING SKILLS OF NOT ONLY JUST SKILLS IN THE GAMES THAT I AM LEARNING AND BEING COACHED ON, BUT ANYTHING THAT INVOLVES A GROUP SETTING HELPS A LOT.

TO MEET SO MANY DIFFERENT PEOPLE AND HAVE MORE SOCIAL INTERACTION DURING A TIME LIKE SUMMER WHERE I WOULDN'T BE AROUND PEOPLE IN SCHOOL.

>> 80% OF THE KIDS THAT PARTICIPATE IN E-SPORTS HAVE NEVER PARTICIPATED IN A SCHOOL ACTIVITY BEFORE.

THAT GRABS THE KIDS THAT ARE ON THE FRINGES, THAT DON'T NECESSARILY BELONG TO ANY SCHOOL ACTIVITY.

IT GIVES THEM A SENSE OF BELONGING.

KIDS WANT TO BELONG TO SOMETHING.

AND IF THEY CAN BELONG TO SOMETHING WITH THEIR FRIENDS AND THEY'RE HAVING FUN, AND THEY'RE PART OF A SCHOOL ACTIVITY, SO SCHOOL PRIDE, ATTENDANCE, GRADES, ALL THAT STUFF IS ELEVATED.

HUGE PART OF GAMING IS THE ARTS, GRAPHIC DESIGN, ANIMATION, THINGS LIKE THAT AND GAMERS ARE THREE TIMES MORE LIKELY TO PURSUE A STEM OR STEAM CAREER.

WE HAVE BEEN WORKING WITH THEM ON CURRICULUM AND OTHER ASPECTS OF THE PLANNING.

WHAT IS GREAT ABOUT EXAMPLE SPORTS, IT TOUCHES EVERY ONE OF THE ACRONYMS.

A GREAT PARTNERSHIP WITH THEM.

AS FAR AS FUTURE PLANS GO FOR ELITE GAMING ARENA, WE ARE STILL IN THE GROWING PHASE, WE ARE GROWING VERY RAPIDLY THANKFULLY.

WE HAVE PLANS TO EXPAND HERE IN THE MOST FOR NOW AND THEN WE WILL SEE WHAT THE FUTURE BRINGS BUT WE HAVE EXPANSION PLANS IN THE VERY, VERY NEAR FUTURE.

TONIGHT FOR BY THE NUMBERS WE ARE TAKING A LOOK AT REMOTE WORK.

AS WE KNOW IN 2020 OUR WORLD SHIFTED AND THAT INCLUDES THE WORKPLACE.

AS OF 2023, A LITTLE OVER 12% OF FULL-TIME EMPLOYEES WORKED FROM HOME AND ABOUT 28% WORK A HYBRID MODEL MEANING THEY WORK FROM HOME SOME DAYS AND OTHER DAYS THEY'RE WORKING REMOTE WHETHER AT THEIR HOUSE OR A COFFEE SHOP.

BY 2025, WE ARE GOING TO SEE ABOUT 32 MILLION AMERICANS WORKING REMOTE.

AND THERE IS A HIGH PERCENTAGE OF WORKERS THAT WANT TO WORK REMOTE AT LEAST SOME OF THE TIME BECAUSE THEY'RE LOOKING FOR FLEXIBILITY, AUTONOMY AND THE WORK-LIFE BALANCE THEY'VE ALWAYS DESIRED.

AND AS WE TAKE A LOOK SOME OF THOSE INDUSTRIES AND OCCUPATIONS, THESE ARE JUST THE TP THREE.

I'M SURE THERE IS A LONGER LIST.

WE ARE LOOKING AT COMPUTER I.T., MARKETING, ACCOUNTING AND FINANCE AND SOME OF THE OCCUPATIONS ON THE TOP THREE ARE ACCOUNTANT, EXECUTIVE ASSISTANT AND CUSTOMER SERVICE REPRESENTATIVES.

WITH THE HIGHER PERCENTAGE OF REMOTE WORKERS ARE THE AGES BETWEEN 24-35.

YES, THEY ARE MILLENNIALS SO MY QUESTION TO YOU IS HOW ARE YOU OPERATING YOUR COMPANY?

ARE YOU REMOTE?

ARE YOU HYBRID?

ARE YOU IN PERSON?

THESE ARE YOUR NUMBERS FOR TONIGHT WE CONTINUE NOW WITH OUR SPOTLIGHT SERIES WITH J DANIEL PLUFF.

THE SERIES HIGHLIGHTS BUSINESSES AND PEOPLE DOING SOMETHING SPECIAL IN OUR AREA.

BUT TONIGHT WE HIGH LIGHT A CLOSURE.

IN 2022, CAZENOVIA COLLEGE ANNOUNCED THEY WOULD CLOSE THEIR CAMPUS - UNABLE TO MAINTAIN THEIR BUSINESS AND FORCED TO DEFAULT ON A BOND PAYMENT.

CLOSURES OF ANY BUSINESS CAN HAVE A NEGATIVE IMPACT ON THEIR COMMUNITIES, BUT FOR THE SMALL VILLAGE OF CAZENOVIA, THIS NEWS WAS ESPECIALLY DEVASTATING.

THE CLOSURE OBVIOUSLY IMPACTED FACULTY AND ADMINISTRATORS, AND STUDENTS FOR SURE - BUT ALSO THE SURROUNDING BUSINESSES AND VENDORS TO THE SCHOOL.

THE FULL REPERCUSSIONS WILL CONTINUE TO DEVELOP LEAVING MORE QUESTIONS THAN ANSWERS.

OUR J DANIEL PLUFF MET WITH COLLEGE PRESIDENT DR DAVID BERGH TO SEE JUST WHAT HAPPENED AND WHAT'S NEXT FOR THE ONCE BEAUTIFUL CAMPUS.

WE ALSO MET WITH DEEGE O'HARA, OWNER OF MC CARTHY'S PUB - WHO RELIED ON THE SCHOOL FOR MUCH OF HIS BUSINESS.

>> THE COLLEGE HAS BEEN AROUND FOR TWO CENTURIES AND NOW THAT THE ANNOUNCEMENT HAS BEEN MADE, YOU KNOW, IT HAD TO WEIGH ON YOU TO MAKE THAT DETERMINATION.

>> YEAH, INCREDIBLY SO, YEAH, I MEAN WE ARE THE HEART BEAT OF THIS COMMUNITY.

WE ARE THE ECONOMIC ENGINE OF THIS COMMUNITY, THE CULTURAL DRIVER HERE, IN ADDITION, OBVIOUSLY TO SERVING STUDENTS FOR NEARLY TWO CENTURIES AND BEING A MAJOR EMPLOYER.

SO ALL OF THAT WEIGHED, INCLUDING OUR ALUMNI AND THEIR EXPERIENCES HERE AND OUR FAMILIES IN ASSOCIATION WITH THE COLLEGE.

SO IT WAS A VERY DIFFICULT DECISION THAT THE BOARD HAD TO MAKE BACK IN DECEMBER WHEN THAT ALL TRANSPIRED.

AND I THINK, YOU KNOW, I'VE SAID BEFORE, I THINK IT WAS THE RIGHT DECISION AND A COURAGEOUS DECISION ACTUALLY BECAUSE BY DOING IT WHEN THEY DID, IT ACTUALLY MAXIMIZED THE AMOUNT OF TIME THAT OUR STUDENTS AND OUR EMPLOYEES HAD TO PREPARE FOR THEIR NEXT STEPS.

BUT ALSO HELPED US IN HAVING TIME TO PREPARE THE COMMUNITY FOR WHAT COMES NEXT.

>> IT OCCURS TO ME THAT PLACES LIKE THIS WHERE YOU HAVE THESE COLLEGE TOWNS IN A PUB OR A BAR RESTAURANT PROBABLY GET A LOT OF BUSINESS FROM CAZENOVIA COLLEGE, THE FACULTY, THE STUDENTS, ARE YOU EXPERIENCING THAT?

>> ABSOLUTELY.

WHILE THE COLLEGE WAS HERE, WE HAD TONS.

THERE IS A RIPPLE EFFECT.

NOT ONLY THE CAZENOVIA COLLEGE, IF HAMILTON COLLEGE IS COMING TO PLAY SOCCER, THEY COME IN HERE.

ANCILLARY SUPPORT FROM THE COLLEGE, THE TEACHERS, THE STUDENTS, IT WAS A WONDERFUL PLACE TO BE.

>> IT IS A GOOD POINT.

HAMILTON, COLGATE NOT FAR AWAY.

MORRISVILLE DOWN ROUTE 20, RIGHT.

SO YOU ARE...

IF YOU THOUGHT ABOUT IT, AND I DON'T KNOW IF YOU PUT PENCIL TO PAPER, BUT IS THERE A PERCENTAGE?

HOW MUCH BUSINESS CAME FROM THE SCHOOL OR THE OFF SHOOTS FROM THE SCHOOL?

>> YOU CAN PICK OUT THE STUDENTS.

15% OF OUR SUNTS.

THE ANCILLARY STUFF, WHETHER AGAIN IT'S A TRAVELING TEAM TO PLAY CAZENOVIA AND THEY SPEND THE WHOLE DAY HERE AFTER THEIR EVENT, YOU CAN'T QUANTIFY THAT.

THAT'S PROBABLY, I DON'T KNOW, BUT THAT WAS REAL MONEY.

>> YOU ARE LOSING NOT ONLY CUSTOMERS, BUT YOU ARE LOSING A SOURCE OF EMPLOYEES THERE, TOO.

>> IT'S REALLY GOING TO HURT.

I DON'T KNOW HOW WE REPLACE 45% OF OUR STAFF.

THE KIDS HAVE BEEN GREAT.

THEY'RE PULLING EXTRA SHIFTS.

WE HAVE A TIGHT KNIT GROUP OF 10 DIE HARDS FROM VARIOUS WALKS OF LIFE BUT THE COLLEGE KIDS REALLY HELPED US ON A DAY-TO-DAY BASIS AND THAT'S GOING TO HURT.

I DON'T KNOW HOW I'M GOING TO FILL THAT VOID.

>> THIS IS A SMALL COMMUNITY.

HUGE IMPACT TO THE LOCAL ECONOMY HERE.

AND WITH THE CLOSURE, YOU KNOW, WHAT ARE YOUR THOUGHTS ON THAT?

>> WELL, I THINK IF ANYTHING, UNFORTUNATELY, IT HAS BEEN UNDER ESTIMATED IN TERMS IN THE LOCAL COMMUNITY.

AND I SAY THAT, YOU KNOW, THE MOST RECENT NUMBERS WE GOT, SO CICU, THE COMMISSION ON INDEPENDENT COLLEGES AND UNIVERSITIES IN NEW YORK, THEY DO ANNUAL ECONOMIC IMPACT ANALYSES AND I THINK THE LAST YEAR THEY DID ONE FOR US, THEY DETERMINED OUR ESTIMATED ECONOMIC IMPACT ON THE IMMEDIATE REGION TO BE ABOUT $54 MILLION A YEAR.

SO IT'S SUBSTANTIAL.

>> I WOULDN'T HAVE GUESSED THAT MUCH BUT HOW DO THEY COME UP WITH THE NUMBERS?

THAT'S A BIG NUMBER.

>> IT'S A BIG NUMBER.

>> STUDENTS SPENDING MONEY, FACULTY SPENDING MONEY, THE SCHOOL SPENDING MONEY ON VENDORS... >> YEAH, TALKING ABOUT 250 EMPLOYEES HERE.

>> PAYROLL.

>> EXACTLY.

>> SO I THINK ONE OF THE REASONS I SAY THAT I'M AFRAID SOMETIMES THE IMPACT HAS BEEN UNDERAPPRECIATED IS THAT I'LL OFTEN HEAR FROM STORE OWNERS OR, YOU KNOW, FOLKS IN TOWN, WE DON'T GET THAT MUCH BUSINESS FROM THE COLLEGE.

BUT I THINK WHAT THEY'RE MEANING WHEN THEY SAY THAT IS WE DON'T NECESSARILY SEE A LOT OF COLLEGE STUDENTS OR PEOPLE WHO LOOK 18- 22 YEAR OLDS AND THAT'S THE IMPACT AND WHAT THEY'RE MISSING IS THE INCREDIBLE NUMBER OF PEOPLE WHO ARE IN THE COMMUNITY REGULARLY BECAUSE THE COLLEGE IS HERE.

>> I'M SURE A NUMBER OF FACTORS PLAYED INTO THIS, BUT IT SEEMS, AT LEAST FROM WHAT I'VE READ, THE FINAL BLOW SEEMED TO BE WE HAD THIS 25 MILLION-DOLLAR BOND PAYMENT DUE.

IN THE SCHEME OF A COLLEGE, $25 MILLION DOESN'T SEEM LIKE A LOT IN TERMS OF COLLEGE BUT IT SAYS TO ME THAT'S REALLY HOW CLOSE WERE YOU.

IT WAS RIGHT DOWN LITERALLY TO THE LAST FEW DOLLARS.

WOULD THAT BE SAFE TO SAY?

>> YEAH, I MEAN I THINK AT THE END, WHAT REALLY-- IT'S AS SIMPLE AS SAYING AT THE END WHAT HAPPENED IS WE COULDN'T FIND ANYONE IN 2022 ABLE OR WILLING TO EXTEND US LONG-TERM FINANCING, DESPITE THE FACT THAT GOING INTO THAT YEAR AND THROUGHOUT THAT YEAR, ALL THE EXPERTS WE WORKED WITH AND FOLKS VERY FAMILIAR WITH THE MARKET ASSURED US THAT WE WOULD.

AND THAT HAD TO DO WITH A COUPLE THINGS.

ONE WAS OUR OWN VULNERABILITY AND STATUS COMING OUT OF COVID WHICH HAD SIGNIFICANTLY WEAKENED US.

BUT ALSO YOU KNOW, NEW YORK TIMES DID A PIECE AT THE END OF LAST YEAR IN WHICH THEY TALKED ABOUT 2022 IS REALLY A YEAR MARKING A GENERATIONAL SHIFT.

>> CAN I PRESS YOU JUST A LITTLE BIT ON ENROLLMENT?

BECAUSE AS A COLLEGE PRESIDENT, WHY DO YOU THINK ENROLLMENT IS DOWN ACROSS THE COUNTRY?

IT'S NOT LIKE WE ARE LOSING POPULATION.

BUT IT SEEMS LIKE FEWER AND FEWER-- A LOT OF KIDS GO TO COLLEGE, I GET IT BUT ENROLLMENT ACROSS THE COUNTRY SEEMS TO BE GOING DOWN.

WHY DO YOU SUPPOSE THAT IS?

>> MYRIAD OF FACTORS INCLUDING PUBLIC PERCEPTIONS AROUND THE VALUE OF COLLEGE AND AS IT RELATES TO THE COST.

PARTICULARLY IF THE NORTHEAST AND MIDWEST, THERE IS A POPULATION DECLINE IN 18 TO 22 YEAR OLDS AND THAT'S ONLY EXPECTED TO BE MORE PRONOUNCED IN THE COMING YEARS.

THERE IS A TERM THEY'VE USED THE DEMOGRAPHIC CLIFF TO TALK ABOUT THIS, PARTICULAR WILL I IN 2025, WHERE WE ARE REALLY GOING TO BE SEEING A DRASTIC DROPOFF IN 18 YEAR OLDS ASSOCIATED WITH, YOU KNOW, THE FINANCIAL CRISIS INTERESTINGLY OF 2008 AND AROUND THAT TIME PEOPLE NOT HAVING AS MANY KIDS.

>> WAS IT SOMETHING THAT, IN THE BACK OF YOUR MIND, ANTICIPATED OR AN OH MY GOSH MOMENT.

>> IT WAS A SHOCK TO US.

MY DAUGHTER HAD TOLD ME FIRST AND SHE LIVES IN KENTUCKY.

>> I DIDN'T HEAR ANYTHING THERE.

WERE NO RUMBLINGS OF THAT.

>> IT WAS JUST ONE OF THOSE THINGS, I DON'T KNOW HOW THE FINANCE WENT BUT IT JUST-- THEY DID AS MUCH AS THEY COULD FOR AS LONG AS THEY COULD AND THEN IT WAS GONE.

TO US, THERE IS A LOT OF LONG FACES AROUND HERE FOR A COUPLE OF MONTHS KNOWING THE COLLEGE WAS LEAVING BUT WE ARE GOING TO BE READY AND WE ARE GOING TO BE HERE.

>> I SUSPECT THERE WERE LONG FACES UP AND DOWN THE STREET AND THROUGHOUT THE VILLAGE.

>> WITHOUT A DOUBT.

WE TALKED TO ALL OF OUR FELLOW PROPRIETORS AND THEY'RE THE SAME WAY.

CONFUSED, SCARED.

WE HOPE WE ARE GOING TO MAKE IT.

>> ON THE MONEY SIDE, I DID LEARN YOU PUT SOME MONEY INTO THIS PLACE, UPGRADES HERE AND THERE.

IN RETROSPECT, WOULD YOU HAVE SPENT THAT MONEY HAD YOU NO EN?

>> WELL-- HAD YOU KNOWN.

>> WELL, I WOULD HAVE.

TESTAMENT IS I JUST SPENT $3500 YESTERDAY TO BUY A NEW COOLER.

WE ARE NOT GOING ANYWHERE.

I'M HERE AND I'M CAZENOVIA PROUD.

>> DO YOU SENSE THAT, YOU KNOW, CAZENOVIA MIGHT NOT BE ALONE IN CLOSING?

DO YOU SENSE OTHER SCHOOLS ARE IN TROUBLE?

>> I DO, UNFORTUNATELY.

>> THAT SADDENS ME, TOO.

YOU LIKE, I LIKE THE SMALLER INSTITUTIONS.

>> THERE HAS BEEN NATIONALLY PROBABLY SIX TO EIGHT COLLEGES THAT HAVE ANNOUNCED THEIR CLOSURE, PRIVATE INDEPENDENT COLLEGES THAT HAVE ANNOUNCED THEIR PLANS TO CLOSE SINCE WE HAVE, I UNFORTUNATELY EXPECT THERE WILL BE MORE.

I HAVE ACTUALLY BEEN ASKED IF IT WAS SOMETHING WOULD I EVER CONSIDER CONSULTING IN IN THE FUTURE.

>> HAVING GONE THROUGH IT.

>> AND YOU KNOW, MY IMMEDIATE RESPONSE IS ONCE IS ENOUGH.

BUT I HAVE ACTUALLY HAD THE OPPORTUNITY TO TALK WITH COLLEAGUES AT SOME OF OUR SISTER INSTITUTIONS WHO ARE STRUGGLING BECAUSE OBVIOUSLY WE ARE A NETWORK THAT WANT TO SUPPORT EACH OTHER WHERE WE CAN.

AND I CERTAINLY, ANYTHING WE CAN DO TO HELP OTHERS AVOID GOING THROUGH THIS CIRCUMSTANCE, WE WANT TO DO.

>> YOUR BEST GUESS AS WE SIT HERE TODAY GOING INTO FALL, OR MAYBE I SHOULD SAY YOUR WISH LIST.

WHAT WOULD YOU LIKE TO SEE HAPPEN HERE?

>> WELL, SO MY WISH LIST WOULD BE SOMETHING LIKE THAT THAT COULD COME IN IMMEDIATELY TO IMMEDIATELY GIVE AN INFUSION OF PEOPLE AND RESOURCES AND MONEY INTO THIS COMMUNITY.

AND AT THE SAME TIME AND WOULD HAVE THE CAMPUS OCCUPIED AND THE BUILDINGS BEING USED AND AT THE SAME TIME THAT GIVING TIME FOR THE COMMUNITY AND FOR OTHER ENTITIES TO COME UP WITH A VIABLE LONG-TERM USE FOR THE CAMPUS WITHIN THAT FRAMEWORK.

SO MY IDEA WOULD BE IMMEDIATE USE, FOLLOWED VERY SHORTLY BY A VIABLE LONG-TERM USER FOR THE CAMPUS.

>> THE LAST GRADUATING CLASS RECENTLY LEFT.

WHAT ARE YOU GOING TO DO FROM HERE?

WHAT IS THE PLAN?

>> WE JUST TIGHTEN, TRY TO BUY BETTER, BUY SMARTER.

MAYBE SCALE DOWN THE LABOR IN THE BACK OF THE HOUSE, JUST TRY TO WORK SMARTER.

>> SOMETHING TELLS ME YOU ARE NOT GOING TO CLOSE.

>> I'M NOT CLOSING.

THERE IS NO WAY.

THIS IS THE LAST THING MY DAD DID.

MY DAD WAS AN ATTORNEY AND MY DAUGHTER APPROACHED HIM EIGHT YEARS AGO DAD, DAD, DAD, I HAVE TO BUY AN IRISH PUB IN CAZENOVIA OR MY BOYFRIEND IS GOING TO BE DEPORTED.

MY FATHER WAS LIKE YOU GOT A BOYFRIEND?

WHAT IS GOING ON.

MY DAD SAID HE WAS GOING HOME, CIRCLED THE BUILDING, PUT TOGETHER THE LEASE AGREEMENT, PUT TOGETHER THE BUSINESS AGREEMENTS AND PASSED AWAY 10 HOURS LATER.

THIS IS THE LAST THING HE DID.

I'M NOT LEAVING THIS PLACE.

>> OUR THANKS AGAIN TO DEEGE AND DAVID FOR THEIR VALUED TIME • THAT'S OUR PROGRAM FOR TONIGHT - NEXT WEEK, WE EXAMINE THE ECONOMIC GAINS FOR LE MOYNE COLLEGE WHO'S MOVING UP TO DIVISION ONE SPORTS.

SEE HOW A TELECOMMUNICATIONS COMPANY IS DESIGNING FIBER CABLES TO HELP CONNECT RURAL AREAS ONLINE.

AND FOR OUR SPOTLIGHT SERIES -- WE UPDATE YOU ON THE CROUSE/UPSTATE HOSPITAL MERGER WITH CROUSE HEALTH'S SETH KRONENBERG.

WE HAVE A LOT MORE COMING THIS SEASON SO IF YOU HAVE AN IDEA FOR A BUSINESS, PERSON OR JUST SOMETHING SPECIAL HAPPENING IN CENTRAL NEW YORK, CONTACT US BY EMAILING NEWS AT WCNY.ORG.

TO FIND OUT MORE ABOUT THE PROGRAM AND WATCH PAST EPISODES VISIT OUR SECRETARY OF STATE WEIGHT AT WCNY.ORG/"ON THE MONEY."

ENGAGE WITH US BY FOLLOWING US ON OUR SOCIAL MEDIA PLATFORMS.

I'M LAIZA SEMIDEY, THANKS AGAIN FOR WATCHING!