NEWS RELEASES
Proposal For Muskegon Campground Raises Debate
Editor's Note: This news item was retrieved and first published through Woodall's Campground Management's website.
The city of Muskegon has been presented with two proposals for campgrounds in the man-made dune area of an unused area of Pere Marquette Park beach known locally as “the ovals. The proposals suggested campgrounds in the area that refers to the circular route of Beach Street and Pere Marquette Park. The area remains undeveloped but is often used for public parking near The Deck restaurant.
According to a report relayed by Woodall's Campground Management from MichiganLive, one of the proposals also included plans for housing and retail shops around The Deck. City Manager Frank Peterson said the city’s goal is to activate the space with some type of public amenity to help increase tourism during summer weekdays and the off-season. A public amenity such as a campground, retail shops, or both, could also mean a boost in revenue for beach maintenance – something city leaders and neighbors say is sorely needed. “We think the beach is so great that it should be self-sustainable,” Peterson said. “So many people want to be there that we don’t have an excuse for it not to be self-sustainable. A campground that brings people down there more consistently would help The Deck; it helps the concessionaire; it helps the food trucks that come down there. It helps everyone out.” One proposal from Beachwood Recreational Park LLC., details plans for a 98-site, seasonal RV park complete with nine cabins, showers, bathrooms, a picnic area and a children’s playscape. A similar proposal was introduced by the same developer in 2007 but was rejected by the Muskegon City Commission in 2008.
To read the full report and view more images on MichiganLive, visit here.