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Thousands of visitors expected in Ohio for solar eclipse. How will it impact the economy?

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Thousands of visitors expected in Ohio for solar eclipse. How will it impact the economy?


Ohio is a hot ticket for the April 8 solar eclipse, with the state expected to attract anywhere from 139,000 to 556,000 visitors inside the line of totality, according to estimates from the website GreatAmericanEclipse.com.

As people arrive, there will be significant demand for lodging, food and entertainment.

“It’s a big event. There’s nothing bigger really,” said Brent Sohngen, professor of agricultural, environmental, and development economics at Ohio State University. “I don’t think you can overemphasize that.”

Hotels are already filling up with reservations, and businesses are looking to take advantage. Cedar Point is even opening up early for one day only to observe the eclipse.

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Those visiting the Buckeye State are in addition to the 7,275,000 people who live within the path of totality in Ohio.

“We are doing some tracking on this with hotels that are in the path of the eclipse and there definitely is increased demand, especially along the center line and in areas of bigger population,” said Joe Savarise, president and CEO of the Ohio Hotel & Lodging Association.

Ohio hotels are booking up fast for April’s solar eclipse

In Stark County, over 70% of hotel rooms tracked by Visit Canton are booked for the eclipse. Meanwhile, visitors bureaus in Summit and Cuyahoga County said hotels are experiencing high demand, particularly for the night before the eclipse.

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Savarise said there are 700 hotels in the state that are within the path of totality in Ohio. An additional 731 hotels are in areas of the partial solar eclipse. There are also a number of campgrounds and other rentals such as Airbnbs and VRBOs.

“What we encourage people to do is No. 1, search for and book your room as quickly as you can because every day availability gets tighter and tighter,” he said. “Also, there definitely are some parts of the state where there is higher demand right now, but not far away from there, still in really good viewing areas, there might be more availability in towns along the path.”

The Ohio Hotel & Lodging Association has been preparing for the eclipse since before 2023. Savarise said the event is an economic opportunity.

What’s the economic impact of the eclipse on Ohio?

In an email, a spokesperson for the Ohio Department of Development said the average visitor to Ohio spends $174 per visit. Considering visitation estimates from GreatAmericanEclipse.com, this could mean an economic boost of anywhere from $24 million to almost $100 million statewide.

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“I don’t think that’s a stretch at all. People will be coming in, staying overnight, taking advantage of local attractions, restaurants, buying gas, shopping while they’re here, it’s just exponential,” Savarise said.

If Ohio follows the trend of states impacted by the 2017 total eclipse, the impact could actually gross in the low billions, Sohngen said.

After the 2017 total solar eclipse, the South Carolina Department of Parks, Recreation and Tourism estimated the state brought in $269 million in economic impact, about 0.1% of the state’s gross domestic product.

If Ohio were to have the same 0.1% impact, it would amount to $822 million, but Sohngen said it could be even more.

“[In 2017,] some states in the South had it up to 0.25% of total GDP,” he said. “You would expect a lot of people from Pennsylvania, Illinois, etc., to come over here, so my guess is $1 to $2 billion range potentially.”

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A total solar eclipse hasn’t occurred in Ohio in over 200 years, and factors like weather could change the outcome.

Barrel Room owner Keri Sullivan: ‘It’s a really big deal’

Many businesses in Northeast Ohio are planning for eclipse visitors by having events or selling limited edition products.

The Barrel Room on Canal, a restaurant in Canal Fulton, will be opening on an off day to host a solar eclipse watch party.

“We’re usually closed on Mondays but we’re opening up because it’s said that we’re going to have one of the best views,” owner Keri Sullivan said.

The restaurant will be open 2 to 9 p.m. and will offer eclipse-themed cocktail and food specials.

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“We’re trying to cash in on something pretty cool that isn’t going to happen again anytime soon,” Sullivan said.

She said the event has generated decent interest on Facebook, but she isn’t sure what to expect yet.

“This is kind of unprecedented territory for us,” Sullivan said.

Rubber City Clothing creates special eclipse T-shirt

For Kevin Friend, owner of Rubber City Clothing Co. in Akron, making and selling an eclipse design for T-shirts, hoodies and bags was a no-brainer.

“We had been talking about it and a lady came in and asked if we had a design. That was good enough for me to decide that we should take advantage of this,” he said. “Summit County is doing all kinds of stuff around it, the schools are closed, it’s a really big deal.”

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School’s out: Canton City Schools cancels classes, activities for solar eclipse

The design, created by Joëlle Zellman, features a sun and moon over the Akron skyline with the date of the eclipse. The graphic is glow-in-the-dark.

Friend said the eclipse design has been a hit so far and became the bestseller for several weeks.

“It’s an interesting opportunity and a once-in-a-lifetime thing,” he said. “I’m glad we can memorialize it and put designs on stuff that people can keep as souvenirs or wear on shirts.”

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Gervasi Vineyard hosting solar eclipse party

Gervasi Vineyard in Canton is hoping to attract visitors with its See + Sip The Solar Eclipse event.

It will be held at the vineyard’s Still House and will feature a signature cocktail, eclipse glasses and live music.

Director of Marketing Andrea Hartman said even though the vineyard is located outside of the path of totality in Canton, it still expects a full turnout for the event.

“From the local audience, we were only able to release a certain amount of tickets because we wanted to make sure we held back enough for our hotel guests,” she said. “The public tickets we have offered are already sold out, our hotel rooms are very close to that, as well.”

The event has a capacity of 125 people, but the vineyard is considering raising it to 150 to accommodate high demand.

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“People are looking for something different to do,” Hartman said. “A different wine pairing, a different experience, something fun to do.”

Reach Grace at 330-580-8364 or gspringer@gannett.com. Follow her on X @GraceSpringer16.



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Ohio high school girls basketball scores: Friday, Jan. 9, 2026

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Ohio high school girls basketball scores: Friday, Jan. 9, 2026


CLEVELAND, Ohio — OHSAA girls basketball scores from Friday in Ohio, as provided by The Associated Press.

Ann Arbor Gabriel Richard, Mich. 43, Notre Dame Academy 35

Baltimore Liberty Union 47, Cols. Hamilton Twp. 34

Berlin Center Western Reserve 68, N. Jackson Jackson-Milton 46

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Blanchester 40, Bethel-Tate 37

Chagrin Falls 37, Burton Berkshire 32

Circleville 62, Amanda-Clearcreek 40

Cle. Hay 88, Cle. Glenville 2

Cols. Centennial 78, Columbus International 50

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Cols. Linden-McKinley 54, Cols. Whetstone 28

Cols. Walnut Ridge 73, Cols. Marion-Franklin 12

Delaware Buckeye Valley 50, CSG 43

Delta 48, Bryan 44

Dublin Coffman 47, Cols. Upper Arlington 39

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Hilliard Darby 43, Thomas Worthington 32

Johnstown 47, Johnstown Northridge 41

Mason 54, Cin. Colerain 32

Newark 56, Ashville Teays Valley 42

Oak Harbor 52, Millbury Lake 31

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Ohio Deaf 50, Ky. School for the Deaf, Ky. 9

Pemberville Eastwood 65, Rossford 35

Pickerington North 41, New Albany 33

Springboro 66, Centerville 33

Stryker 54, Montpelier 20

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W. Chester Lakota W. 76, Fairfield 24

Wauseon 55, Swanton 13

Western Reserve Academy 65, Lawrenceville School, N.J. 33

Westerville Cent. 57, Grove City Cent. Crossing 20

Worthington Christian 57, Tree of Life 16

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Zanesville 58, Newark Licking Valley 40



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Ohio State students hone academic, business skills through study abroad programs

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Ohio State students hone academic, business skills through study abroad programs


Students across various majors at The Ohio State University recently gathered at the Fisher College of Business to discuss how study abroad opportunities have helped them hone skills that will benefit their studies and chosen career paths.

Fisher’s Office of Global Business and its Office of Advancement hosted the inaugural Global Experience Luncheon. The event was held at the Blackwell Inn on the Columbus campus.

The luncheon brought together alumni who have donated to study abroad programs with students who have participated in them, said Dominic DiCamillo, senior director of the Office of Global Business.

“We were excited to partner with Advancement for the first time to facilitate this type of personal connection. The families that have created these endowments, oftentimes, they hoped it would have some sort of positive impact,” he said. “This is the first time for them to hear firsthand from the students who recently participated.”

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Xin Lin, a third-year finance student, shared her experiences studying abroad in Hamburg, Germany, and Chiang Mai, Thailand. While in Germany in summer 2024, Lin completed the Fisher Freshman Global Lab with Professor Michael Knemeyer and studied at the Kühne Logistics University.

During Lin’s semester in Germany, her cohort toured the facilities of several international companies, including the Mercedes-Benz auto manufacturer, Seven Senders logistics enterprise, and Jack Wolfskin outdoor apparel.

“This was my first time being in Europe,” she said. “It was a really eye-opening experience and taught me to be curious about exploring other cultures, which is why I made the decision to study abroad in Chiang Mai, Thailand.”

This past summer in Chiang Mai, Lin completed the competitive Fisher Global Consulting: Nonprofit program, which is funded by an endowment established by Chris Connor, a 1978 Ohio State alumnus, and his wife, Sara. The participating students, called Connor Scholars, gain firsthand insights into the cultures and business practices of countries in developing regions worldwide.

“We were there for two weeks working on the sustainability and the marketing for the local elephant foundation, as well as to support the villagers,” she said. “And my team and I, we worked on the sustainability curriculum for the local school.”

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Lin said participating in study abroad programs sharpened her decision-making and problem-solving skills.

“Leveraging these experiences has strengthened my understanding of international business and macroeconomics,” she said. “Most importantly, it is the growth mindset and the endless learning that these experiences have taught me, and I’m really excited to be carrying these values into my future career and my academic journey.”

Jacob Brodson, a fourth-year marketing major, said participating in the Fisher Global Marketing Lab in Taiwan this past summer was “a transformational, life-changing trip.”

Jacob Brodson (center) said he met more than 25 Ohio State alumni in Taiwan.“If you can go to someplace that’s so fundamentally different from what we experience here on a day-to-day basis, you should absolutely take the opportunity to,” he said. “And Taiwan is that opportunity.”

Brodson said studying marketing and visiting 10 companies in Taiwan gave him a broader perspective on business practices in different countries.

“We went to TSMC, which is the Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company. That’s the 10th largest company in the world that you probably have never heard of, but they make all the phone and computer chips that are in your cellphones,” he said. “It was an unbelievable experience to see that.”

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Brodson and his classmates also toured a Kenda Tire facility.

“They actually do a lot of marketing at Ohio State sporting events because their U.S. headquarters is out in Reynoldsburg,” Brodson said. “We got to see their entire manufacturing plant in Taiwan.”

Brodson said he was pleasantly surprised to discover a Buckeye community overseas. He met more than 25 Ohio State alumni throughout Taiwan.

“We are halfway across the world and yet the most beautiful thing is that there are still reminders of home. We’re halfway across the country and there are still Buckeyes there,” he said. “That is one of the coolest things – seeing the Ohio State alumni and the fact that this Buckeye tradition transcends countries.”

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Northeast Ohio Weather: High wind, very warm, showers, and storms today

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Northeast Ohio Weather: High wind, very warm, showers, and storms today


CLEVELAND, Ohio (WOIO) – A powerful cold front will be tracking through today.

A second system impacts the area tomorrow.

It is very warm and very windy today. High temperatures forecast to be above 60 degrees in many towns before the cold front blows through.

Temperatures tumble through the 50s and into the 40s later this afternoon.

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We have showers and a few thunderstorms in the area. The risk of rain will end behind the front. A south wind shifts west and could gust over 45 mph at times today.

Colder and much less wind tonight with a mostly cloudy sky. Early morning temperatures tomorrow will be in the 30s.

The system tomorrow will track across the Great Lakes and will be centered north of us Saturday night.

Moisture gets drawn up from the south. Showers develop by afternoon.

The rain isn’t expected to be heavy with less than .25″ in the forecast. High temperatures make it into the 40s.

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Colder Saturday night and blustery. Southwest winds could gust to around 30 mph at times.

A window is there Sunday for snow showers and lake-effect.

It’ll be very windy on Sunday. West winds could gust over 45 mph at times. Afternoon temperatures around 30 degrees.



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