Greater Munising Bay Partnership for Commerce Development promises positive things
Read more: Local, Business, Community, Politics, Munising, Chamber of Commerce, GMBPCD, Fuzzy Boyer, Alger County, Tourism
MUNISING -- Last year, the city of Munising saw 48,000 visitors pass through its visitor center. They'd like for some of them to pick up their feet, make themselves at home and stay awhile.
The Greater Munising Bay Partnership for Commerce Development (GMBPCD) - the newly evolved, next-generation Chamber of Commerce - has a plan to make it happen.
"In effect, it (the GMBPCD) is a lot the same as what a local Chamber of Commerce would be. The difference is that we've expanded beyond that, to incorporate all of the regions, all of Alger County," explains Leif Street, Vice Chairman of the new partnership.
The hope is to bring all of Alger County together. All the businesses, in all the small towns, supporting each other and working as one.
"If we promote each other, we become stronger. Individually we're all struggling. So it only makes sense to start holding hands and working in the same direction. It only makes sense to me," says Char Carberry, Director of the partnership.
So to make the GMBPCD's plan work, they need a central location: a business office that doubles as a welcome center.
Anyone from the Munising area knows the name Dennis "Fuzzy" Boyak. Fuzzy, who passed away last year, was "Mr. Munising". He had a dream to promote and develop the area as a business and tourist destination, and the partnership wants to make that happen.
"To help that dream come true...and make this community and this area work together and cooperate and make it better!" says Carberry.
And because, after all, this evolution was Fuzzy's vision, they're naming the new visitor center on the corner of Munising and Maple in his honor.
"I think this is a wonderful tribute to him and to his family to be able to name this facility after him and to have a long standing tribute to what he has done and what he has meant to the community," says Street.
The Fuzzy Boyak Welcome Center is slated to open in January. And with the help of the GMBPCD, Fuzzy's vision of developing Munising and the rest of Alger County into a tourist and business haven, is one step closer to reality.
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3:45 p.m., Back from Munising
In the town of Munising, everyone's got a story about the late Dennis "Fuzzy" Boyak.
Fuzzy was dedicated to promoting and growing Munising into something great. With the evolution of the Greater Munising Bay Partnership for Commerce Development comes a new visitor center, welcoming folks to Alger County. It's name: "The Fuzzy Boyak Welcome Center".
I'll have the complete report tonight at 10.
Brad
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11:20 a.m., Newsroom
I'm heading to Munising today to get the lowdown on the city of Munising's Chamber of Commerce overhaul. It's now called the Greater Munising Bay Partnership for Commerce and Development, or GMBPCD.
What's the change all about? What does it mean for residents of the city? What can the GMBPCD do that the former Chamber of Commerce couldn't?
Check back here for updates often, and for the complete story, tune in to your FOX UP News tonight at 10.
Brad
