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CELINA - Thousands of visitors are expected to descend on Mercer County in less than three months to observe what's being heralded as a once-in-a-lifetime total solar eclipse, creating the potential for traffic snarls and other issues but also a profit bonanza for businesses.
In fact, the state informed one county official that throngs of travelers could cause the county's population to double on April 8, which falls on a Monday. They could also begin trickling in as early as the Friday before the total solar eclipse, a rare and spectacular experience that last took place in Ohio in 1806.
Though it's almost impossible to precisely predict the crowd size, one thing is certain - people will come to Mercer County, one of 35 Ohio counties projected to be in the full-totality area of the solar eclipse, according to county Emergency Management Agency director Mike Robbins.
On April 8, the total solar solar eclipse will unfold between 1:53 and 4:25 p.m., with the moon appearing to completely obscure the sun at 3:11 p.m. and causing nighttime darkness for nearly four minutes.
Hotels in Mercer and Auglaize counties and the Grand Lake St. Marys State Park campgrounds have been fully booked for the solar eclipse for months, Robbins told an audience gathered for Celina-Mercer County Chamber of Commerce's information session on Wednesday afternoon.
In addition to the state park, revelers are expected to gather, for a fee, at the county fairgrounds, Ambassador Park in Fort Recovery and even farm fields turned into ad hoc viewing sites by their owners, officials said.
The fairgrounds, which is hosting a festival April 6-8, has taken camping reservations from people in Texas, New Hampshire and Illinois, noted fair manager Cara Muhlenkamp.
"In my world, events aren't a problem. They'll take care of themselves," Robbins said. "What's hard to figure out is how many people will actually drive in, the day-trippers coming in for the day."
Ohio is within a day's drive of 70% of the U.S. population, according to Robbins. People from cities such as Columbus, which won't experience the total solar eclipse, and those desiring to watch the celestial phenomenon play out in a rural setting may choose Mercer County, Robbins said.
Also, the weather forecast ahead of April 8 will factor in where day-trippers decide to watch the solar eclipse, Robbins said, noting cloudy conditions or heavy precipitation may mar the viewing experience.
However, Robbins is fairly optimistic that the county will be able to handle the coming influx of travelers. He's been preparing for the solar eclipse for the last two years, alongside county officeholders, department heads and leaders of schools, hospitals, the chamber of commerce and other groups.
The local response will encompass law enforcement, fire departments, emergency medical services, hospitals, chambers of commerce, National Weather Service, volunteer organizations and others.
Officials on Wednesday said ambulances and other emergency response vehicles may be strategically placed near U.S. Route 127 and other areas.
The most thorny problems will involve communications and traffic control, Robbins said. Cellphone disruptions are almost a guarantee. With this in mind, Mercer Health will rely on the Multi-Agency Radio Communication Systems radios used by police and fire departments to communicate with outside hospitals, helicopters and other key figures and entities.
"We do know the roads are going to be busy so we're preparing for accidents," said Jenny Conn, director of emergency services and disaster preparedness at Mercer Health.
Traffic could become heavy in certain areas, including on U.S. and state routes. Problems would be compounded if visitors decided to park their vehicles on the side of county roads to view the solar eclipse, Robbins said.
Also, as total solar eclipse will take place between 1:53 and 4:25 p.m., employees at businesses, including those with multiple shifts, may have difficulty leaving and getting to work.
Grocery stores, gas stations, towing services, restaurants and campgrounds all stand to see significant demand - and profits.
Local businesses are encouraged to prepare for an increase of customers, have ample supplies on hand and consider extending hours of operations.
"Monday is the normal day where a lot of restaurants close, so what are we going to do with all these people who want to eat?" asked chamber director Stacy Beougher. "We've been encouraging our restaurants to stay open to have grab-and-go meals, stuff that can be quick that you can get people in and out of very efficiently."
Boutiques and other local shops should consider selling commemorative T-shirts and other special and appealing items.
"If we're going to have all these people come in, we might as well try to make a little money off of them, too," Beougher said.
