I agree with your post 100 percent.
We're all read the stories about potential Duke students may be having second thoughts; well, what about businesses; would you move your business there, after all this?
You and I both know that the saddest part of this story is that neither Durham nor Duke will ever be the same.
All for votes.
When I was a senior, there was a guy in our fraternity, already admitted to medical school, who started dating a smokin' hot local girl. The rest of us kept telling him she was bad news (if gorgeous) but he was smitten. Two months later she told him she was pregnant and demanded $10K (IIRC) for an abortion. He was devasted but being a decent guy offered to (a) marry her or (b) pay for the pregnancy and child support. She was enraged but he held firm. A few days later, she "miscarried" and said she never wanted to see him again. That anecdote colors my views on town-gown stuff. Many Dukies are young and not nearly as street savvy as the Kim's of the world.
And I agree with you, a business would have to be a fool for walking into that local culture, and students admitted to Duke will be thinking twice before matriculating. Brodhead was awfully quick to throw the entire lacrosse team under the bus so it is logical to conclude that the Unversity will not stick up for its students when the going gets rough. Brodhead's attitude didn't help -- it was reported that he said at a recent alumni event that if they are guilty they should go to jail, and if they are innocent then that's too bad (strangely mirroring Kim's comments) -- a comment most in attendance took as "let them eat cake." A pity, really, because I still love Duke and think Durham can be a good location. And I agree with you, after this the town-gown will never be the same.
But there is an election in a racially diverse town, money to be made, and ambitions to be met, and for Nifong, Kim, Simeon, and others, that has to come first.