Out Front of the Parade: Lessons from Mimi Barash Coppersmith
By Greg Woodman Most of us are happy to be in the parade. Or content to watch the parade. We enjoy the music, the fellowship, the energy of marching together. But very few want to step out front, where the spotlight shines, where the risks are highest, and where the critics are loudest. Mimi Barash […]
Happy Valley Fall 2025: The Love Boat Semester at the ChatGPT Inflection Point
The curtain is going up this weekend, and the audience has arrived. Fifty thousand students. Parents and alumni. Visitors from every corner of the globe. Sidewalks pulse, cranes stretch the skyline, and Saturday’s kick off bar crawl starts at noon will hum with thousands wearing the same Line Leap t-shirt. This is the kickoff to fall in Happy Valley — our in-season.
Downtown State College Real Estate Is the New Oceanfront
In State College, what you hear isn’t waves crashing, it’s the roar of over 108,000 fans at Beaver Stadium, the energy of nearly 50,000 returning students, and alumni who aren’t merely visiting, they’re investing. With cranes set to rise this October, more than one-third of the 70 units at the Nittany Residence Club are already under contract, clear evidence that the market is speaking. Real dollars are validating demand for downtown living.
Follow the Money: Tourism is Happy Valley’s Economic Horse to go “all in” on.
1,117+ new hotel rooms.
14 new lodging developments.
Cranes rising. Rooms booking. Momentum building.
This isn’t a feel-good story. It’s a growth story—and the numbers don’t lie.
Tourism is the fastest-moving sector in our economy—and the smartest money knows it.
Downtown State College is Buzzing: Brooklyn Style Deli, New Eateries, and a Wave of Openings Signal Growth
Downtown State College is heating up with a wave of exciting restaurant and business openings, bringing fresh energy to the area.
Hotel Performance Puts Happy Valley on Growth Fast Track
A look at year-end 2024 data shows that Centre County was the fastest growing tourism economy in the state.
The Future of Penn State: Rapid Changes, Big Bets, and What to Watch
Penn State is evolving at a pace faster than ever before. From massive financial investments to privatization, NIL and direct payments, and enrollment shifts, major decisions are reshaping the university.
HVAB awards recognize excellence in local tourism/hospitality industry
STATE COLLEGE, PA, Nov. 12, 2024 – The Happy Valley Adventure Bureau (HVAB) recognized standouts in the Centre County tourism and hospitality community on Tuesday, Nov. 12 at the Third Annual Happy Valley Hospitality Awards. Sponsored by Titan Park, the event drew a crowd of nearly 300 to Brass 16823 in Bellefonte for an Academy […]
New Nittany Lion Inn is ideal for business travel, meetings
By Holly Riddle Visitation is up in Happy Valley. In 2023, the Happy Valley Adventure Bureau set an audacious goal of welcoming 5 million visitors by the end of 2024. As of a July announcement from the Bureau, that goal has already been met, and it’s estimated that the county has reached its additional goal […]
