Delta County Area Chamber of Commerce

MINDING OUR OWN BUSINESS
April 24, 2004

by Linda Hirvonen
Delta County EDA Director

Delta Force Brainstroms Scenarios on Area's Economy

Part of the planning process includes short term and long term brainstorming of best case & worst case scenarios. As part of the Delta Force’s Economic Development Day in April, we asked the twenty participants to brainstorm about what could happen in our community. Following are representative of some of their insights and opinions. Best and worst are intermingled.

Power:
• A power plant in Hannahville (regional and local economies) would bring new industry to our communities and allow families' financial stability to live in the Upper Peninsula.

• In the long term a power plant in Hannahville could deplete some of our natural resources (water, land, etc.) Because of the number of people it would take to employ and also the number of industries that might relocate to our communities, it's kind of like a double-edged sword.

Port:
• I'm not sure if a deep sea port would be short term …however I feel that would open not only industry shipping lines but also tourism with Great Lake Cruises. (ed: several others listed getting the port as a best case scenario as well)

Industry:
• A large, eco-friendly manufacturing plant that produces an in-demand, cutting-edge product efficiently and economically using fair labor practices moves to town. (long-range). This provides jobs for men and women who don't have a lot of education or college education - jobs they can be proud of and work hard at. Think a Ben and Jerry's factory. Or a Tom's of Maine. Or IKEA furniture - something to showcase the town and its incredible workforce (we can't let that work ethic slip because there isn't enough work available!)

• The local manufacturing base is diversified by companies in high-tech industries such as nanotechnology, robotics, engineering, communications and pharmaceuticals...

• MeadWestvaco moves out of town.

• EMP moves out of town.

• Worst case long term - The manufacturing industry in the area is not diversified. All eggs are in one industry basket." Downturn causes massive layoffs. Note - The long term Economic Development concept is similar to that of a mutual fund. Your money is spread out over numerous industries and companies so when less than favorable economic conditions exists you don't go broke like tech stocks in 2000. It's the same with the workforce. The efforts may not be immediately recognized, but they will be by our children and hopefully their children.

Community:
• Make the schools a highest priority (short-term/do it now) If the schools get any more squeezed, I think it could have a certain effect on our economic future… One, a higher student-to-teacher ratio is not enticing to people looking to move away from a city. Two, we want to make sure we have a well educated workforce (too bad can't mandate parents...). This is the future and we need to pay for our future.

• In order for our area to grow and improve its economy, we will need to improve the local infrastructure. This could include power plant, roads, as wells as a port authority. These improvements will need to take place before long term benefits could be put into place. We must have the facilities and resources to offer companies that are looking at our area. We have an abundance of natural resources, we must be able to use them and distribute the products to the open market.

• Airport closing / loss of Renaissance zone / loss of tourism / loss of connections to the "outside world."

• Marketing/promotional campaigns around people not places in Delta County. Don't think others are doing this exactly…How about an advertising scheme from people who moved away and came back. They could give interesting perspective to companies looking to satisfy workers who want to get out of rat race - from those who know what rat race is.

• Bay College becomes a four-year university (long-range). I would love Escanaba to become part "college town." This enhances everything. It would open up opportunities for Escanabans; it would attract young people here. Arts, culture, events. It might lead to … create a beautiful, funky downtown.

• Bay College closes or greatly reduces its programs. (short and long-term effects). There won't even be continuing education, let along a learning site for those young people we want to keep around.

• I was told that there were 15 different countries represented in the Escanaba community I think it would be a detriment to our community if we did not aggressively seek out and learn foreign cultures. The global economy dictates business/communities must learn other cultures.

• An epidemic such as SARS would adversely affect our economy because the publicity would be so negative and residents would be encouraged to stay home. Residents would not want to venture out to businesses and public places and no one would want to visit Escanaba during such an outbreak and would go elsewhere for a long time afterwards

• I know that the term "Shop Local" is thrown around a lot… and more people should “practice what they preach. … I think that other than the good hearted feeling one has when purchasing from a local merchant, an incentive program would motivate residents to spend their money here. This is a short-term case because it would start positively effecting (sic) our economy right away but could also change quickly.

• Terrorist attack. The national economy is still feeling the effect of the terrorist attack of 2001. This effect would be greatly amplified with another attack. If the overall population does not feel safe and is reluctant to make big ticket purchases, there isn’t an economic development plan that could have any effect.

Tourism:
• Establish restaurants and hotels on coastline between Escanaba and Gladstone and extending along coast of Ford River and Kipling offering entertainment and a boardwalk … with a variety of shops, restaurants, places to stroll, and bike path along the highway for access for bikers.

• Design Main Street with an eclectic artistic theme or perhaps an ethnic flavor like the French Quarter of New Orleans, a quaint village like Frankenmuth, or a Dutch or Danish village like Solvang in California.

• International Festival for a weekend or week offering ethnic food, concerts in the park, and cabarets and folk singing at our night spots, dances on Main Street in the evening, international theatre at the Bonifas Center, arts and crafts at the lower harbor, activities for children, and Cirque du Soleil.

• Tourism would be seriously impaired by polluted lakes because fish and sea life would die, wash up on the shore, and the smell would drive people away. Tourists would not want to come to Delta County in the summer for boating, swimming, and fishing.

• U.P. deer herd infected with CWD, leading to loss of revenue in sales of licenses, and hunter’s expenses

• The water in the area is a huge draw for tourists. If the water level continues to go down it would negatively effect the economy. Tourists bring money into our area by renting rooms, eating dinners, and purchasing items. This is a short-term case because the water level goes in cycles.

The Environment:
• Fishing Tournaments positively effect the local economy, no matter your stance on what it does to the Eco-system. If there were a large chemical spill in the lake this would damage the water and the fish that live there. This would present a problem for any fishing tournament and would also be a detriment to tourism in the area. The lake is a huge draw for tourists who boat and swim. I also think that people would be less likely to come back even after the water was cleaned.

• Natural disaster or environmental spill (short-term/potentially long-term effects). Would take away time, money, resources, focus to fix. Bad public relations. Devastating for community members.

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