When you pick up local newspapers lately, it's easy to get flashbacks of the Y2K concerns 17 years ago! With the eclipse right around the corner, I sure am glad I saved all those canned green beans and tomatoes. I estimate my family could survive for 7 days in my 100 square foot concrete septic tank that I converted to an underground shelter for a pending disaster. Ok, that was a joke...I have no such shelter.
So what should you expect given all the reports you are hearing and seeing? I'd like to offer my opinion based on a number of experiences. First, I've sat through many of these meetings as a town commissioner. Second, in 2012, I served as Chairman of the Highlands Chamber of Commerce after 4 years as a board member and have a good understanding of Highlands tourism, where it comes from and how it's marketed.
Without question, the event will bring a lot of folks to town. As you've heard, all hotels are booked solid for the week. But is that any different than any other weekend, particularly after Old Edwards Inn launched a tremendous marketing campaign? Truth be told, hotels are booked solid most weekends in Highlands, many due to weddings. Next, let's assume that every person that owns a home in Highlands, comes to town for this event. Combine these two factors and you have a normal Memorial Day/July 4th/Labor Day weekend. There are certainly lots of people, but the world hasn't ended.
That leaves one major wild card...THE DAY TRIPPERS, who come to town from areas within a 2 hour drive. So who are these folks? Do you know where the largest majority of day trippers come from, which is tracked by the Chamber of Commerce and Vistor Center? The answer: Greenville, SC. Guess what other city is getting an excellent view of the eclipse? The answer: Greenville, SC. The point is, if I live in Greenville, why would I come to Highlands? The next city the brings the 2nd most amount of day trippers to Highlands was probably your first guess: Atlanta, GA. However, for Atlantians to view the eclipse, they will need to pass through several towns that are also getting great views of the eclipse like Clayton and Dillard, GA. In fact, Rabun Gap is having a huge event on that Monday that I understand is in the thousands although I'm not sure of the details. The real wild card then becomes day trippers (remember all hotels are booked so these folks can't stay here) from areas east of Highlands like Asheville, that fall outside of the viewing zone. Keep in mind, there are many towns surrounding Highlands that these folks would need to pass through to get here. Sylvia, Franklin etc all are in the prime viewing zone. In all cases, if your goal is to see the eclipse that afternoon, you would really need to go out of your way to get to Highlands. One final thought on this matter is that many students have already gone back to school for the year in many areas. Will that impact those with children coming to Highlands?
Next, Highlands isn't exactly the greatest area to view this event. Although we are a couple thousand feet closer to the sun, viewing areas are limited due to the dense tree canopy. It isn't like you can pull over on the side of the road and get a good look. As a municipal government, we need to plan for the worst and hope for the best. However, I personally don't see this as a huge deal but it's important to make residents aware of the potential concerns. In reality, no one has any idea what it will really be like. Personally, I think it will be comparable to a very busy July 4th weekend, with certainly a lot of traffic and parking will be at a premium. What I'm having a hard time buying is the Y2K gridlock that some are predicting. My advice: get groceries a few days before just to be safe and be patient for those few days. Working closely with the Highlands Police Department, I know they are prioritizing their needs. At the Club, department leaders are getting ready as best we can. I also hope and assume the Macon County Sheriffs Department and the NC State Highway Patrol have adequate presence around the surrounding area as well, to keep folks moving on the roads. However, it's not possible for police to close public roads and things like that to reduce traffic in residential areas. Again, patience is key. In the end, I envision it being a fun yet 'non-event' that benefits local merchants and business by bringing new folks to town. As a member of the club, I'd encourage you to use the club to the max...for all it has to offer. We'll be ready and you won't have to fight any crowds! As always, Chef Bryant and team will be ready to serve you and the golf course will be in great shape. All you need to bring are your special viewing glasses that Nikki will provide for you! Or, bring a welding mask if you have one...that will work too!
With four major arteries into and out of town (gorge road, Cashiers Road, Hwy 28 and Hwy 106) emergency personnel are concerned about traffic flow and of course, accessing accidents should they occur. This is a legit concern but one that can't be predicted beforehand. But again, viewing the eclipse from roadsides isn't possible in most areas due to dense tree canopy. Hopefully this eliminates motorists cluttering roadsides that are already too narrow.
The golf maintenance staff will be working closely with the Security team to be sure visitors aren't parking at 18 tees and other areas like this on Club property. We will station staff in areas to prevent non member traffic on club property. Incidentally, I agreed to this detail only after Security Chief, Dave Latta and GM, Greg Crawford promised me a K-9 unit for vehicle searches, 2 flashlights with the orange cones to direct traffic and a flourescent vest that has a badge. I asked for a six shooter and a holster, which I did get, but they will only let me have one bullet. Ok, that last part was a joke too. We will however be watching numerious areas of the club, doing what we can to keep the club flowing like any given day.
All this said...if my wife, Hilary wouldn't have thrown out those 205 jars of canned green beans from 1999, I promise I would have shared them with you if I am wrong about all this. But given what I've been exposed to in my varying extra ciricular activities, I see no reason to panic. Personally, the headlines give me a good chuckle. 'Disaster Level' preparations make me feel like a character in a good science fiction book.