Eclipse could bring $10-25M economic impact to Johnson County

April’s total solar eclipse is expected to be an economic boon for Johnson County. Experts say it could bring in more than $10 million to the local economy.

A total solar eclipse will take place on April 8, and Johnson County will be at the epicenter. The rare natural phenomenon happens when the moon passes between the sun and Earth, casting a shadow on Earth that either fully or partially blocks the sun’s light in some areas.

This type of solar eclipse is the only one where people can momentarily remove their eclipse glasses for a brief time when the moon is completely blocking the sun. On April 8, a partial eclipse will take place from 1:50 to 4:23 p.m. with totality being from approximately 3:05:52 to 3:09:54 p.m. in the Franklin area, which is among the top viewing spots for the eclipse as it has one of the longest periods of totality at 4 minutes and 2 seconds.

The eclipse will significantly impact Johnson County’s economy. Ken Kosky, the executive director of Festival Country Indiana, the county’s tourism bureau, estimates the economic impact would exceed $10 million, potentially reaching $25 million depending on the weather and other factors, he said.

Kosky’s estimate is based on a consultation he had with Casper, Wyoming, which was in the path of the 2017 total solar eclipse. They saw a $7.5 million impact over four days surrounding the eclipse, with most of their hotels charging $750 a night, he said.

“Here, a few years later, most of our hotels are going for $1,000-plus per night,” Kosky said.

With events planned in three Johnson County communities, larger crowds are expected than Casper saw. Kosky expects the county to attract 100,000 people, he said.

The economic impact of the eclipse will appear through visitor spending — like purchases of hotels, gas, going out to eat and souvenirs. It could also appear through last-minute purchases who may have forgotten to pack something, Kosky said.

Nearly all local hotels are booked for around the April 8 eclipse, Kosky said. But that’s not the only option for tourists wanting to come to the area to experience the rare phenomena.

Some Airbnbs have opened up recently, as have several short-term rentals. There is also “quite a bit” of camping still available, including for recreation vehicles and tents, Kosky said.

“We’re expecting a lot of people to come and camp,” he said. “And also, certainly we’re expecting day visitors who will come from up to six hours away by car.”

Marketing efforts

Festival Country has been working to market the county as an eclipse destination for months. These efforts have been going well so far, and officials still have much more planned, Kosky said.

The tourism bureau purchased 100,000 eclipse glasses and has given out over half of them. Festival County is also selling commemorative shirts and referring people to other businesses for T-shirts and souvenirs. Through their marketing efforts, they also were able to get Johnson County listed in the Indiana Festival Guide for the eclipse, Kosky said.

“But aside from that, we’re really now going to be kicking off some of the efforts because research has shown that most people plan two months or less in advance,” he said.

Coming up, Festival Country plans to increase its digital marketing for the eclipse and do things like boosting social media posts. They are working to address concerns there will be too many visitors by encouraging churches, schools, attractions and those with large parking lots to let people park the day of the eclipse, Kosky said.

Those who have large spaces for people to park could charge for parking and provide food trucks, or just provide free parking, he said.

“Our goal is to spread these folks out throughout the whole county so that when the eclipse ends, it’s more orderly to get everybody out and home safely,” Kosky said.

Those who do consider allowing people to use their property to view the eclipse have things to consider, with one of the first things being liability insurance.

Other items to consider include trash removal, restrooms, private security and health department permits for those who want to serve food. People may also try to use private property to view the eclipse without permission, according to the Johnson County Joint Incident Management Team.

Locals cash in

With so many visitors expected, Festival Country is encouraging tourism-related businesses to be open and to capitalize on the event.

Restaurants should consider having a limited menu with items they can produce easily. They should also have a themed menu, Kosky said.

“If you’re a dessert shop, have moon pies that day. If you’re a store, have eclipse souvenirs,” he said.

As for non-tourism-related businesses, officials are letting them know about when the eclipse is taking place. These businesses can decide for themselves if they want to close early that day to get their employees home before the rush of everyone leaving, or if they want to change shifts so that employees don’t leave until a few hours after the eclipse when traffic is expected to be clear, Kosky said.

But it’s not just businesses that can cash in. It’s residents, too.

People could rent out their homes and make a significant amount. The same could be said for people who open up just a room or two, Kosky said.

This doesn’t just apply to homes though. People could make money renting out campers too, he said.

Visitors who want to relax in a hot tub while watching the eclipse could rent The Gypsy Inn in Franklin. The three-bedroom, two-bath home sleeps seven and features a hot tub, kitchen, outdoor space and WiFi. It is also located in downtown Franklin, just walking distance from events planned at the DriveHubler.com Amphitheater.

The home is owned by Christy Norton, a local real estate agent and owner of Eclectic Jade, and Marissa Stout, of Stout Renovations. They’ve rented out the home for a while, but are charging extra for the eclipse and adding a three-night minimum commitment, they said.

From April 5 to 8, which covers the start of eclipse events that Friday through the Monday after, Norton and Stout are charging $5,875 on VRBO, an online marketplace for vacation rentals. This equals out to $1,250 a night.

For a similar five-day, Friday to Tuesday commitment in March, they are charging $1,298 — $249 a night. So far no one has rented it out, but this could change.

“It’s available. It’s one of the few properties that is, ” Stout said.

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With a stay at The Gypsy Inn, Norton and Stout are also offering TV, shirts and other items from Eclectic Jade, Norton said.

Franklin resident Jill Davis is renting out a renovated, 44-foot-long camper on Outdoorsy, an RV and camper rental website. The large camper sleeps four and features a large living area, kitchen, private bathroom, inside shower and more.

Davis has rented out the camper for a while for bridal parties to use as a bridal suite at venues that don’t have them. But the eclipse is the first time she tried renting it out for something other than weddings, she said.

“It has been rented before but not in this capacity,” Davis said.

She decided to rent out the camper to give people the opportunity to stay near Franklin and have access to the festivities. It’s also a way to make a little extra cash, she said.

A five-night stay in the camper for eclipse weekend costs $376 a night, or $1,880 total, before adding in a $500 refundable deposit and a $100 preparation fee. Davis is not charging more than she would for a wedding, she said.

Why it matters

The economic benefits are numerous for local businesses and residents who want to join in.

For starters, it’s direct spending from visitors — spending that goes to local small businesses owned by local residents, said Christian Maslowski, president and CEO of Aspire Johnson County, the county chamber of commerce.

“That income and those earnings, that profit, those owners take that and they spend it locally and that helps to keep local folks employed,” Maslowski said.

Tourists will also fill up gas tanks at local gas stations, paying gas taxes which will come back to fund local road improvements. Revenue will also come into the tourism bureau from the innkeeper’s tax, which hotel room renters pay, with the revenue being used to help promote Johnson County for future tourism efforts, he said.

“It’s an investment in future visitors,” Maslowski said.

Waiters and waitresses, along with anyone else who receives tips, could use tips received from tourists to spend locally. Retail and restaurant employees could also pick up extra shifts to make more money, he said.

“There’s both direct and indirect benefits,” he said.

Looking ahead

Aspire is planning a free webinar for businesses looking to capitalize on the eclipse, or who have concerns about how it will impact their operations. Along with local emergency officials, the webinar will feature Mandy Christenson, CEO of the White House, Tennessee, Area Chamber of Commerce. Christenson led that chamber during the 2017 eclipse, Maslowski said.

“She has said that their local communities, especially their local small businesses benefited,” he said.

The webinar will take place Feb. 28. You do not have to be a chamber member to attend, Maslowski said.

People who are considering renting their houses out need to make sure to contact their insurance company. The Gypsy Inn has a big liability policy that covers any accidents, but normal homeowner’s policies wouldn’t cover this, Norton said.

“People really need to educate themselves on liability if they’re going to be renting,” she said.

Kosky is advising people to stop by Festival Country’s Visitor Center in downtown Franklin to pick up free eclipse glasses. There are plenty of glasses for residents to pick up for their family and friends, he said.

He also encourages residents to go out and see the eclipse on April 8.

“It’s very historic, monumental,” Kosky said. “I’ve seen videos of eclipses happening elsewhere and people are extremely excited when it hits, the total eclipse. So it’s a very memorable experience.”

CORRECTION: Feb. 20 at 1:42 p.m.

Due to an editing error, a previous version of this story erroneously said there was a $1,000 preparation fee for Jill Davis’ camper. Additionally, the $500 deposit is refundable.