New website is all about events

by JOHN LASKO

News-Times reporter

A new website in the works promises to give Amherst residents an advantage when it comes to events happening around town.

Twenty-six-year-old Ron Clinton, whose stage name is Sean Gabriel, is the technical brains behind MyTownAmherst.com.

He has lived in Amherst for nearly three years after moving from Cleveland. His wife, who was born and raised here, and the pride he now takes in the city which he calls home , are two of the many contributing factors behind the new website.

"I thought we could use an electronic portal to tell us what is going on around here and make people my age interested in what's going on in the city," he said.

He began construction of the site last month and estimates he has already spent nearly $2,000 and 20 hours designing and developing the website.

"This website was designed to get the citizens of Amherst interested in our city with a valuable and informative web based platform," Gabriel said. "This website is hosted to accomplish a successful and resourceful medium between the people the city's people, its businesses and its events."

He hopes to have the website up an running by the first week of August.

"It's all dependent on the type of response I get, even starting with four or five customers is fine," he said. "I'll get them up and running and I'm hoping it will only build from there."

Gabriel has also created an Amherst page on the popular myspace.com website with the hopes of attracting more teenagers and young adults to the website.

"I'm using (the myspace page) as a blog spot," Gabriel said. "You can either say 'Hey the Comets won a game last week,' or if you want to shout something out on there. I don't want the website to be all business."

Residents can also find out information about events and activities happening at all the bars, restaurants, and other businesses within the city, under the "nightlife" tab.

"A person can find out what's fun to do that night as far as dancing, karaoke, live entertainment, happy hours, town festivals, etc.," he said.

The website will also have a tab called The Weekly Spot Light, which will be specifically designed to feature local businesses.

"I will take a business or somebody that is opening a business and put them under that tab for a week," Gabriel said. "I'm planning to say 'hey this is what they're doing, go and see them.' Or we will do it for someone who is already in business with all of their contact information."

Gabriel will also have a special section on the website called Deals and Steals, which will feature such things as coupons for local businesses or a free meal coupon at one of the many restaurants throughout the city.

"It's really meant to inspire and attract businesses to promote their coupons exclusively on our website for the consumers to use," he said.

Businesses can also advertise on MyTownAmherst.com, for a flat fee of $99 for a year.

"Say, for instance, we had a mortgage company. You would click on 'Amherst Business' and you click on the picture and you will then go to a sub page which will have their logo, company description, contact information, as well as if they have a web address," Gabriel said. "Ninety-five percent of what goes up on (the website) is up to the customers."

Gabriel added businesses will have full access to their web pages, where they will be able to post coupons, incentives, new text or pictures.

Gabriel's web site will also feature a mailing list. Residents who sign up can expect to receive e-mails regarding festivals, new businesses, reminders or new updates to Gabriel's website.

"This site changes," he said. "You're not going to look at it today and look at it three months from now and everything is the same because nobody maintains it. It would make this site kind of useless."

In addition to all of the other tabs on the website, it will also highlight the city's historical landmarks and sites.

"The site will be very well maintained and kept to a modern look and feel, while also keeping in mind and displaying the city's historic charm and irreplaceable value," he said.

The website will also future houses and apartments for sale or rent throughout the city, as well as the Amherst school district sports news and calendars.

Gabriel hopes with the community input to design and market MyTownAmherst.com, to be a helpful tool for Amherst residents for finding out what there is to do within the city.

"I want a person to be able to come to the website and see that whatever they have in mind -- maybe it's going out dancing or to a restaurant -- that we can do those things here instead of going out of the city. Because 90 percent of those things you need or want to do are right here," Gabriel said. "A lot of people don't necessarily know that they are right here, and I want people to say hey, I didn't know that."

Gabriel owns Sean Gabriel Entertainment. He sings and serves as a DJ at private parties, graduations and weddings.