April 18, 2005
Commentary
Better living through tourism | How improving Aroostook County's tourism infrastructure will benefit the region
By Michael C. Eisensmith
In northern Maine, unlike many other areas of the state, tourism has traditionally played a smaller role in the economy than other natural resource-based sectors such as agriculture and forestry. However, in the past decade, the winter sports industry ˆ especially snowmobiling ˆ has become a growing, and more significant, source of revenue for the region. Aroostook County's longer winters, which routinely generate greater snow accumulation than most areas of the state, result in superior trail conditions that serve to extend the snowmobiling season several weeks after snow conditions in southern and central Maine start to deteriorate.
In addition, the Maine Winter Sports Center, a nonprofit organization whose goal is to bring the tradition of skiing back to life in Maine, garnered funding in 1999 from the Libra Foundation to develop two world-class cross-county and biathlon ski venues in Aroostook County. The 2004 World Cup Biathlon, which was hosted at its 10th Mountain facility in Fort Kent, attracted more than 15,000 spectators and participants. While the biathlon was an extremely successful event and the facilities were highly praised, one of the shortcomings pointed out by World Cup officials was the lack of adequate lodging.
At the same time, one of the most startling realities in the region is that Aroostook County continues to lose its young people at an alarming rate. The regional strategic plan, which was developed over the last several years, emphasized the importance of decent job opportunities as a key factor in both attracting and retaining this human resource. And tourism was identified as a virtually untapped resource that could provide a livable wage and diverse employment options.
After the biathlon, members of the Northern Maine Development Commission, Maine Winter Sports Center staff and officials from the town of Fort Kent held discussions about the lodging situation near the 10th Mountain ski facility. As it turned out, internal conversations between NMDC and Aroostook County Tourism, an affiliate of the commission, were already taking place to look at the possibility of resort development and improvement of the area's trail system as ways to grow both winter and summer recreation activities. The Aroostook Partnership for Progress, a coalition of the NMDC and area businesses, was tapped to help guide the further exploration of this prospect. Last spring, the groups brought in a resort consultant, who issued a preliminary report outlining the assets and liabilities of such a concept, with the general conclusion that, indeed, some kind of resort development might be contemplated. However, a project of this scope and complexity would need a much more detailed analysis to identify the steps necessary to begin.
Requests for proposals from resort development consultants were sent out recently, and the responses are currently under review. The proposal would have a feasibility study performed on the development of several small resorts that would include lodging, dining, entertainment and related services to support the region's recreation industry. The study is expected to be performed over the next several months, and will be available to Aroostook Partnership for Progress and NMDC by early fall. Additionally, NMDC has recently submitted grant applications that, if funded, will greatly enhance the tourism experience in Aroostook. The grants would address the unification and enhancement of the area's trail system and the feasibility of small resort development, with an emphasis on specific lodging solutions for the 10th Mountain ski area.
All of these initiatives supplement each other to offer solid improvement to the region's tourism infrastructure. Improvement to the maintenance, signage and consistency of the trails will ensure that visitors who come to snowmobile, hike, bike or ATV will have a quality experience that will ensure their return. Having small resort complexes along those trails that offer lodging and amenities further enhances that experience. This type of infrastructure is crucial to the expansion of the tourism industry in the region, and will set the stage for other programs and projects down the road.
What makes all of this possible is the recognition by the communities and businesses in Aroostook that tourism can play a significant role in turning around the region's troubled economy. Further, it points out the reality that no one entity can successfully marshal the economic resources necessary to influence broad, positive economic change. Businesses, communities and non-governmental organizations must be willing to work together to solve these problems. Without a willingness to address these issues on a regional, cooperative basis, the likelihood of continued, positive growth becomes much more difficult to achieve.
In addition, the Maine Winter Sports Center, a nonprofit organization whose goal is to bring the tradition of skiing back to life in Maine, garnered funding in 1999 from the Libra Foundation to develop two world-class cross-county and biathlon ski venues in Aroostook County. The 2004 World Cup Biathlon, which was hosted at its 10th Mountain facility in Fort Kent, attracted more than 15,000 spectators and participants. While the biathlon was an extremely successful event and the facilities were highly praised, one of the shortcomings pointed out by World Cup officials was the lack of adequate lodging.
At the same time, one of the most startling realities in the region is that Aroostook County continues to lose its young people at an alarming rate. The regional strategic plan, which was developed over the last several years, emphasized the importance of decent job opportunities as a key factor in both attracting and retaining this human resource. And tourism was identified as a virtually untapped resource that could provide a livable wage and diverse employment options.
After the biathlon, members of the Northern Maine Development Commission, Maine Winter Sports Center staff and officials from the town of Fort Kent held discussions about the lodging situation near the 10th Mountain ski facility. As it turned out, internal conversations between NMDC and Aroostook County Tourism, an affiliate of the commission, were already taking place to look at the possibility of resort development and improvement of the area's trail system as ways to grow both winter and summer recreation activities. The Aroostook Partnership for Progress, a coalition of the NMDC and area businesses, was tapped to help guide the further exploration of this prospect. Last spring, the groups brought in a resort consultant, who issued a preliminary report outlining the assets and liabilities of such a concept, with the general conclusion that, indeed, some kind of resort development might be contemplated. However, a project of this scope and complexity would need a much more detailed analysis to identify the steps necessary to begin.
Requests for proposals from resort development consultants were sent out recently, and the responses are currently under review. The proposal would have a feasibility study performed on the development of several small resorts that would include lodging, dining, entertainment and related services to support the region's recreation industry. The study is expected to be performed over the next several months, and will be available to Aroostook Partnership for Progress and NMDC by early fall. Additionally, NMDC has recently submitted grant applications that, if funded, will greatly enhance the tourism experience in Aroostook. The grants would address the unification and enhancement of the area's trail system and the feasibility of small resort development, with an emphasis on specific lodging solutions for the 10th Mountain ski area.
All of these initiatives supplement each other to offer solid improvement to the region's tourism infrastructure. Improvement to the maintenance, signage and consistency of the trails will ensure that visitors who come to snowmobile, hike, bike or ATV will have a quality experience that will ensure their return. Having small resort complexes along those trails that offer lodging and amenities further enhances that experience. This type of infrastructure is crucial to the expansion of the tourism industry in the region, and will set the stage for other programs and projects down the road.
What makes all of this possible is the recognition by the communities and businesses in Aroostook that tourism can play a significant role in turning around the region's troubled economy. Further, it points out the reality that no one entity can successfully marshal the economic resources necessary to influence broad, positive economic change. Businesses, communities and non-governmental organizations must be willing to work together to solve these problems. Without a willingness to address these issues on a regional, cooperative basis, the likelihood of continued, positive growth becomes much more difficult to achieve.
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