FAIRVIEW — When the Town of Fairview learned Dafford Smith Stadium had been deemed unsafe for the 2014 football season, its residents had little time to worry about anything besides their children and students.

Now that some time has passed and the Aggies have made a home-away-from-home at Cullman’s Oliver Woodard Stadium, some of the far-reaching effects of the condemnation have been realized.

“I would expect that all the businesses are taking an impact,” District 11 Rep. Randall Shedd said.

Shedd’s suspicion came to a realization when local business owners sent their estimated losses to Fairview Principal Chris Gambrill. While a sale not made cannot be measured, the local businesses affected have compared sales from when the stadium was open to this football season without it.

“Our first thought was about how bad it was for the school,” Gambrill said. “But there’s a grand scheme there. There’s an economic impact on all the local businesses.”

Three particular businesses face what they call significant differences in sales.

According to letters sent to Gambrill, the owners of the Superette on Welcome Road expected to make $7,500 off events before the stadium was condemned.

“The events at the stadium are so important to these businesses,” Gambrill said. “That’s their living.”

Henri Derrick, the who owns The Hutch in Fairview with her husband, reported her business is down $700 each Friday compared to nights with home football games.

Derrick, however, said it’s not just high school football.

“We used to stay open late on Friday nights,” she said. “Now we cannot do that. On Saturdays, when there’s football leagues, we’re missing $400 to $500. During the week when junior varsity would normally play, we’re missing $300 to $400 a week. And there’s track, too.”

Calan Talley, a waitress at The Hutch, expects she’s missing out on $60 in tips on Friday nights because there is no football in Fairview.

“We used to be so busy there was no room to sit,” she said. “Now it’s almost empty on Fridays.”

Another local business, Pizza Done Right, estimates it is only making 50 percent of what it would make on Friday nights with football.

Both Pizza Done Right and The Hutch formerly helped supply the Fairview concession stand with food.

It’s not only local business who are feeling the economic impact of the stadium’s closing, the school is eating a cost as well.

“We are so grateful for Cullman allowing us to use their stadium,” Gambrill said. “But we’re losing out on concessions and paying rental fees. The school is out roughly $7,000. Games are now costing us money.”

With the recent announcement that a new stadium could cost more than $2 million, Gambrill said the letters he’s received from businesses are invaluable.

“The county wants us to find a way to pay for this before we enter anymore discussion,” he said. “Randall Shedd, Congressman Aderholt and Sen. Bussman have all been unbelievable in trying to secure government aid. The more numbers we have — like what’s in these letters — the more leverage we have to get funding.”

Shedd was formerly the mayor Fairview.

“I know the people of Fairview,” he said. “If we get the help we need, the people will respond. I have no doubt.”

The Hutch owner emphasized a similar sentiment, and assured the motivation was community-driven, not business-driven.

“Both of my kids graduated from Fairview, and my grandchildren go there,” Derrick said. “I don’t want a Band-Aid on the stadium. I want it done right. My husband and I didn’t go to Fairview High School, but it sure feels like we did.”

Gambrill said that the community impact was the central focus.

“You can’t measure the community impact like business impact,” he said. “But you can feel it.”

While Gambrill found it hard to quantify, the community impact may be measurable. The Fairview football team finished a very un-Aggie-like 4-6, and at least one student has felt the impact.

“It’s rough on everyone,” junior Fairview student Cannon Twilley said. “It’s so quiet in town on Fridays.”

With basketball season around the corner, Gamrbill and Derrick both suspect that businesses will see increased revenue, but that doesn’t change the need for a new stadium.

“As much as it may be hurting our business, we don’t want a quick fix. We have a supportive, wonderful community, and we want the stadium done right,” Derrick said.

Zach Winslett can be contacted at zwinslett@cullmantimes.com or (256) 734-2131, ext. 137.