The new banners along downtown streets declare State College as "The place to be." But they're not just for decoration -- they are part of a strategic plan by Downtown State College Inc. to bring shoppers to town.

"Anything we can do to get people to come downtown to shop will be key," said Bob Price, executive director of Downtown State College Inc.

The banners' silhouette design of University buildings superimposed on Mount Nittany "combines a sense of tradition with a sense of modernness," Price said. The banners are the second in a series the organization plans to display.

The program -- including three sets of about 120 banners, the standards used to display the signs and the cost of rotating the banners -- costs about $15,000. Downtown State College Inc. receives funding from the University, the State College borough and the downtown community.

The banner program is intended to "improve the economic vitality of the downtown area and help create liveliness and spirit for the downtown," he said.

But Earle Harner, owner of The Apple Tree, 136 E. College Ave., said the banners are not worth the time and money spent to display them.

"I'm not sure that the money couldn't have been better spent," he said.

But Gary Filkins, owner of Rude Boyz, 200 W. College Ave., and New World, 118 S. Pugh St., said he has received positive comments on the banners.

"Let's face it -- the students will come downtown, but it is a battle to bring in the residents because of the increase in competition from the outside area, "he said.

Keleigh Asbury (senior-hotel, restaurant and institutional management) said she thinks the blue, white- and rose-colored banners are boring, but she generally thinks they are a nice addition.

"The colors should have been different -- the banners don't catch my eye," she said, but added, "I think the banners show the downtown is trying to correlate itself together instead of individual businesses competing against each other."

Bryan Dickinson (sophomore-secondary education) said the organization's money should have been used differently.

"People who have never been here might have a different image of the town, but as for the banners bringing more people in, I doubt it," he said.

The program has been in the planning stages for 10 to 15 years and began in December with holiday designs. Downtown State College Inc. plans to change the banners three to four times a year to commemorate events such as the Annual Central Pennsylvania Festival of the Arts and popular sporting events, Price said.

The banner program is just one facet of a plan created to improve the downtown community. Downtown State College Inc., which has been in operation for six months, is also working on a parking validation program and plans to improve bus connections with the University and the University's Research Park.