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Lighting Up the Sky: Five fireworks shows around the North this July

From boyne to mackinac island to tc to charlevoix, by alexandra dailey | june 24, 2023.

Summertime in northern Michigan means cookouts, boating, and several amazing fireworks displays throughout July. Here are some upcoming events you won’t want to miss, plus a few fun facts about the breathtaking shows.

Photo by Alex Childress

Named one of the country’s best small-town Independence Day spots, Boyne City’s 4th of July Festival and fireworks have been a hallmark tradition for over half a century. Shot off from a location and height that enables everyone around the lake to see the show from land or boat, the spectacular display has garnered some high praise in recent years. 

“When we were first recognized by USA Today , we were blown away,” says Jessica White of Boyne City Hardware. “Then Good Morning America , the Travel Channel , and Reader’s Digest awarded us. We have no idea how they heard about our festival and fireworks, but I guess our reputation precedes us!”

The Wolverine Fireworks Company, which also handles fireworks for the world-famous Bay City Fireworks, will be in charge of the upcoming show…with an impressive committee-approved budget.

“We pride ourselves on the nickname we have acquired over the years as the ‘Best Fourth in the North,’” adds White. “We also pride ourselves on the things that make the Fourth of July so special: freedom, family, fireworks, and fun.”

When and where: Tuesday, July 4, at about 10:30pm. Popular viewing sites are Veteran’s Memorial Park and Sunset Park. How long do they last: 20-25 minutes How many: $40,000 worth of fireworks will be used this Fourth of July Fun fact: Donations from local businesses and individuals entirely fund the fireworks display. Donations total approximately $55,000 annually and support the fireworks show and surrounding festival, including a craft show, running race, live music, games, food, and the parade, which draws about 10,000 spectators.

Mackinac Island 

An ever-popular fireworks destination is Mackinac Island, and they boast not one but two displays of pyrotechnics on the Fourth of July. According to Emily Oakes, who handles public relations on behalf of the island, if you’re lucky enough to be at Fort Holmes—the highest point on Mackinac Island—you’ll even have the opportunity to see both fireworks shows. One location, two shows…how can you beat that?

When and where: Tuesday, July 4, around dusk/10pm at the Mackinac Island Marina and on the west side of the island, out from the boardwalk toward the Mackinac Bridge How long do they last: Both displays are 20 minutes long and take place at the same time. How many: Almost 2,000 fireworks are used in the two displays Fun fact: The displays can be seen from Mackinaw City, St. Ignace, and the historic port town of Hessel. 

Traverse City’s National Cherry Festival 

A third Independence Day offering coincides with the National Cherry Festival as the nonprofit organization TC Boom Boom Club lights up West Grand Traverse Bay. They tell us new effects and brighter colors are in store for this year for what the club calls “the best fireworks display in Michigan.”

When and where: Tuesday, July 4, over West Grand Traverse Bay How long do they last: 25-30 minutes How many: There are over 1,500 firing events in the program

But wait—there’s more! The National Cherry Festival hasn’t had its closing night fireworks since 2018, but they’re back this year and promise to be better than ever. 

“Back by popular demand, the National Cherry Festival Fireworks Grand Finale … will take to the skies at dusk on the festival’s last night,” says Executive Director Kat Paye. “The fireworks finale is a longtime favorite, closing the eight days of festival fun.”

When and where: Saturday, July 8, over West Grand Traverse Bay Fun fact: The closing night fireworks are produced by Great Lakes Fireworks, and they’re creating a special edition cherry firework, so keep your eyes peeled.

Charlevoix’s Venetian Festival

Charlevoix’s Venetian Festival had simple beginnings in the 1930s as a candlelit boat parade. Now, it’s known for some of the greatest fireworks in the state. (The festival takes place later in July, just in case you haven’t gotten your firework fix from Fourth of July.) First up on this year’s schedule is the “Night Sky” display on July 21. 

“Venetian has continued to add bells and whistles to its colossal Night Sky Display, which is launched from the Venetian barge in Lake Charlevoix,” says Dan Barron, president of the Charlevoix Venetian Festival. “The display will again be introduced by a pyro stunt plane which will scream down the Pine River Channel before entering the Lake Charlevoix airbox in proximity to the fireworks barge, complete with aerobatic stunts and fireworks launched from the plane.” 

The second display takes place the following night. Saturday, July 22, hosts the Harbor Fireworks show, the festival’s low aerial/high-intensity fireworks presentation. In addition to the classic big booms, the display uses specially formulated fireworks shells that shoot out from beneath the surface of Round Lake for an added element of artistry and surprise. 

“This pyrotechnic extravaganza, rivaled only by such displays as Thunder Over Louisville, will rock the sky with fireworks launched from the Venetian barge during Venetian’s lighted boat parade,” says Barron.

When and where: Friday, July 21 & Saturday, July 22, downtown Charlevoix How many: Over 10,000 pyro bursts will be used between the two nights of fireworks Fun fact: The Venetian Festival fireworks displays have received national acclaim thanks to the artistry of its renowned master pyrotechnician, Frank Loffredo, Jr., who has orchestrated the displays for over 20 years. 

Coming Soon: International Fireworks Championship

The first-ever International Fireworks Championship is set to be held Saturday, September 9, at Traverse City’s Turtle Creek Stadium, showcasing world-class fireworks displays by teams from the U.S., Mexico, Spain, and Germany, with the U.S. team hailing from Cincinnati. Each of the four competing teams will present unique fireworks shows with musical accompaniment for judges to formally critique. 

“This promises a fireworks event like no other, with bright colors, bold designs, and fun concepts,” says Mickey Graham, director of events at Traverse City Tourism. “Fireworks competitions happen across the globe, and we thought there would be an interesting opportunity to try one here,” adds Graham. “This [event] is a collaboration between Great Lakes Fireworks and Traverse City Tourism.”

With an emphasis on creative abilities, the four world-class teams will all perform on one night. Graham says that though details are still in the works, this will be a family-friendly event with entertainment for all to enjoy leading up to the nighttime displays. Within an hour of going on sale, tickets for the event sold out, though organizers tell us they are looking into more seating and viewing opportunities. For more information, visit traversecity.com.

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Traverse City Tourism | First International Fireworks Championship Announced

Michigan Business Network June 8, 2023 10:00 AM

ABOUT TRAVERSE CITY TOURISM Traverse City Tourism is an independent, not-for-profit destination management organization (DMO) that promotes the greater Traverse City area as a leisure and business destination with an excellent quality-of-life. Through the impact of travel, Traverse City Tourism helps strengthen the local economy and supports a thriving entrepreneurial community. Details on the region's lodging, attractions, and area events are available at  TraverseCity.com .  

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New International Fireworks Competition Coming to Traverse City for Sept 2023

Don’t Miss the Dazzling Showdown in Traverse City- International Fireworks Championship

Get ready to ignite your excitement, because Traverse City, MI is about to explode with the country’s first-ever International Fireworks Championship at Turtle Creek Stadium (333 Stadium Dr, Traverse City, MI 49685) on September 9, 2023.

Traverse City, firmly on the map for its famous National Cherry Festival in July, extends its summer season with the addition of this mesmerizing pyrotechnic competition.

What to Expect at the Traverse City Fireworks Competition

The details of the fireworks championship are still in the works, but organizers assure us that it will be a blast for the whole family.

Entertainment leading up to main event sets the stage for the night. Once it’s dark, the competition begins.

“This promises a fireworks event like no other,” said Mickey Graham, Director of Events at Traverse City Tourism. “There are bright colors, bold designs and fun concepts. I recently watched a competition in Spain and the show was the pride of the entire community.”

The Championship is believed to be one of the first of its kind in the US, building on similar fireworks competitions that are wildly popular in places like Europe, the UK, Canada, and Mexico.

Only a handful of Fireworks Competitions are held in the US, with the closest being staged in Missouri.

Reality Show for Fireworks

The fireworks contest is like “Top Chef” but replace the food with fireworks.

Competitors create unique, elaborate fireworks displays that are synchronized to music and must meet a list of challenging requirements.

Traverse City’s competitors qualified for this event by participating and winning other competitions. Four world-class shows comprise this evening’s International Fireworks Championship, with teams from the US, Mexico, Spain and Germany vying for top prize.

Each entry will be formally judged but the public has the final say on the winner of the competition.

Nothing Like This

“The International Fireworks Championship will be unlike anything this area has seen,” said Traverse City Tourism President, Trevor Tkach.

“The competition is tough. It’s taking typical Fourth of July fireworks and adds elements of artistry to a competitive challenge – this will bring new meaning to live entertainment in northern Michigan. It gives people another great reason to come to Traverse City.”

The competition will be a ticketed event .

Details will be announced when they are finalized.

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Tickets sell out again for the International Fireworks Championship in Traverse City!

New tickets available Thursday for International Fireworks Championship in Traverse City

UPDATE 7/27/23 10:30 a.m.

Traverse City Tourism says tickets have sold out again!

7/24/23 5:00 p.m.

There’s a new opportunity to see the International Fireworks Championship at Turtle Creek Stadium.

After the first round of tickets sold out within a half hour, an additional 2,000 tickets have been added. They will be available at 10 a.m. Thursday.

The championship, which takes place Sept. 9 will include displays form four world class pyrotechnic teams.

“Well, this is unusual in fireworks events,” Mickey Graham, TC Tourism Director of Sports and Events, said. “It’s going to be something different than anything else you’ve seen because, first of all, there’s four shows in one night and these are world class competitors coming off of this. So the people have been invited to this, have won competitions elsewhere around the world.. So we’ve got Germany and France and Mexico and the United States all competing in this.”

Two trophies will be awarded after the fireworks shows.

6/15/23 11:40 a.m.

Traverse City Tourism says tickets to the event sold out in less than an hour! They are looking at more seating options for this and future events.

6/12/2023 12 p.m.

Traverse City Tourism announced Monday that tickets will be on sale starting Thursday, June 15 at 10 a.m.

Prices are $30 for a box seat and $250 for a four-person table in the Fox Motors Den.

12-person and 25-person suites are available by calling Turtle Creek Stadium at (231) 943-0100, while groups of ten or more are available at (231) 947-1120.

The groups featured in the competition are:

• Fantastika Pirotecnia – Mexico
• ToF Feuerwerk – Germany
• Fetes et Feux – France
• Arthur Rozzi Pyrotechnics – USA

The fireworks competition is set for the evening of Sept. 9 at Turtle Creek Stadium.

6/1/2023 10:30 p.m.

Skies Light Up For the First International Fireworks Championship

A competition featuring the world’s best pyrotechnics is coming to Northern Michigan.

The International Fireworks Championship brings four teams from around the world to Traverse City to determine which country has the best fireworks display. The Director of Sports and Events at Traverse City Tourism, Mickey Graham, said the event will not only bring people from out of town, but it will also be a great event for locals.

“It’s going to be really cool. Not a lot of these are happening in the country,” Graham admitted

Top pyrotechnics from Mexico, France, Germany and the U.S. are coming to Traverse City to compete in the regions first ever International Fireworks Championship.

“People kind of know what fireworks are, but when these guys choreograph their shows, I think they’re going to be blown away.

Each team’s display will be choreographed to music and last around 15 minutes. It will all take place on the same night and fans will vote to decide the winner.

Graham says events like these aren’t common, and says the biggest ones are in big cities like Montreal, Madrid, Berlin and Singapore.

“So, to bring something like that to Traverse City, we’re really excited about it because we’ve got some world class competition coming here,” Graham stated.

The big competition will take place at Turtle Creek Stadium. The General Manager of the Pit Spitters, Jacqueline Holm, said while it will look a bit different from the Pit Spitters’ Friday night fireworks display, they are prepared to make sure it goes off without a hitch.

“We’re working with Blair Township and Traverse City Tourism to make sure everything is in compliance and that everyone stays safe because that is, after all, most important,” Holm explains.

The competition is coming up in September which they say will give tourists a reason to stick around past the peak summer months and give locals a unique event they can’t find anywhere else in the country.

“Us local people also have something to do outside of just the summer season, in what they call the shoulder season,” Holm said. “So, looking forward to many many more great events. This is just one of those cherry-on-top opportunities that we get to take part in.”

6/1/2023 11 a.m.

Traverse City Tourism announced Thursday that tickets will soon be on sale for the very first International Fireworks Championship.

The show will feature contestants from U.S., Mexico, Spain and Germany, who have qualified by winning other competitive firework events around the globe.

At the event, you can expect four world-class shows with unique firework displays accompanied by music that will be formally judge.

“This promises a fireworks event like no other,” said Mickey Graham, Director of Events at Traverse City Tourism. “There are bright colors, bold designs and fun concepts. I recently watched a competition in Spain and the show was the pride of the entire community.”

Details of the fireworks championship are still being planned, but it is expected to make its debut on Sept. 9.

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Traverse City Set to Welcome First International Fireworks Competition

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The skies are about to get a whole lot brighter over Traverse City. The lakeside city is set to play host to the first-ever International Fireworks Championship.

The best of the best in world-class fireworks from around the world will make their way to the popular northern Michigan town to brighten the view as they compete for the top prize. The competition will feature four shows from teams representing the United States, Mexico, France, and Germany. Each team qualified for this unique competition by winning at similar competitive events showcasing their talents.

“This promises a fireworks event like no other,” Mickey Graham, Director of Events at Traverse City Tourism told Mlive . “There are bright colors, bold designs, and fun concepts. I recently watched a competition in Spain and the show was the pride of the entire community.”

According to Traversecitycom , this will be a tough competition featuring best-of-the-best teams. Each team will have to follow specific guidelines that will challenge their creative and artistic abilities. Judges and the public will have the final say on the final winner of the competition.

When is the International Fireworks Championship in Michigan?

The big show in the sky is set to light up Traverse City on September 9, 2023, at will be held at Turtle Creek Stadium. As of now all the final details are still being worked out and finalized, but reports state that the event will be a family-friendly event with plenty of excitement and entertainment leading up to the night of the competition.

This event is a rare incredible opportunity for not only Traverse City but Michigan as well. Competitions similar to this have been held in Europe and Canada, but this is a big first for the Midwest.

We will keep you posted when ticket information and the event schedule are available.

Michigan's 2023 Independence Day: 4th of July Fireworks

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Traverse City to Host Fireworks Competition

By J.P. Isbell June 5, 2023

TRAVERSE CITY, Mich. (Michigan News Source) –  The Turtle Creek Stadium in Traverse City, home of collegiate Northwoods League baseball team, the Pit Spitters, will be hosting Michigan’s first ever International Fireworks Championship , on Saturday, September 9th. However, the competing teams are not from the Great Lakes State.

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Competitors in the event include Fantastika Pirotecnia  from Mexico; ToF Feuerwerk from Germany; Fêtes et Feux from France and Arthur Rozzi Pyrotechnics from the United States, based in Cincinnati, Ohio. The teams qualified earlier by winning similar competitive events.

The four world-class shows, which will last about 15 minutes each, will feature huge fireworks events synchronized to music and they will be following specific rules set to challenge their artistic and creative abilities. The entries will be formally judged but the public has the final say on who the winner is.

Similar competitions have been held in Canada, Mexico and Europe but this kind of competition is a rarity in the United States, with the closest competition of its kind being held in Missouri.

Mickey Graham, Director of Events at Traverse City Tourism says, “This promises a fireworks event like no other. There are bright colors, bold designs and fun concepts. I recently watched a competition in Spain and the show was the pride of the entire community.”

Traverse City Tourism President, Trevor Tkach says, “The International Fireworks Championship will be unlike anything this area has seen. The competition is tough. It’s taking typical Fourth of July fireworks and adds elements of artistry to a competitive challenge – this will bring new meaning to live entertainment in northern Michigan. It gives people another great reason to come to Traverse City.”

General Manager of the Pit Spitters, Jacqueline Holm is used to having fireworks at the stadium but will make sure everything goes as planned. She said, “We’re working with Blair Township and Traverse City Tourism to make sure everything is in compliance and that everyone stays safe because that is, after all, most important.”

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The event, which will be held in September, will occur after what most consider to be the “summer season” in Traverse City including the city’s July Cherry Festival. However, event organizers expect the event to bring in additional tourists who want to see something new – and maybe hang out in some cooler temperatures while paying more economical prices at the local hotels.

Details of the championship are still being worked out but Graham says it will be a family-friendly event with entertainment leading up to the competition at nightfall. The event is being spearheaded by Traverse City tourism and tickets will go on sale soon.

meet the author J.P. Isbell

Jen Isbell has spent nearly 20 years as a journalist. She is a Michigan News Source daily contributor who prefers pets over people because they cause fewer problems.

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Tickets on sale Thursday for first-ever international fireworks competition in Traverse City

• Published: Jun. 12, 2023, 12:44 p.m.

Fireworks explode as part of the U.S. Coast Guard Festival in Grand Haven on Saturday, Aug. 3, 2019.

• Matt Durr | [email protected]

TRAVERSE CITY, MI -- Tickets for the first-ever International Fireworks Championship are set to go on sale this Thursday and start at $30 according to Traverse City Tourism. The event is scheduled to take place at Turtle Creek Stadium on Sept. 9 and will feature four teams from across the globe competing to see which group can put on the best fireworks show.

“The show is already drawing a lot of attention,” said Trevor Tkach, President of Traverse City Tourism. “It promises to be a great family-friendly event. It comes at a time when the seasons are starting to change and there is so much to do and see throughout the region.”

The competition will feature the following four teams:

• Fantastika Pirotecnia – Mexico
• ToF Feuerwerk – Germany
• Fetes et Feux – France
• Arthur Rozzi Pyrotechnics – USA

Each team will be tasked with creating a unique sky spectacle that is set to music and follows other rules in place for the competition. Two trophies will be presented following the show. The first will be awarded by a preselected panel of pyrotechnic specialists and the second will be determined by a vote of the fans who are in attendance for the show. Fan voting will be conducted using QR codes placed around the stadium.

“This will be a battle of the best-of-the-best,” said Traverse City Tourism Director of Events, Mickey Graham. “The manufacturers will be challenged to choreograph a show with bright colors, bold designs and synchronized to music.”

Tickets go on sale at 10 a.m. on June 15 at the International Fireworks Championship website. Tickets start at $30 for individual box seats and $250 for a four-person table in the Fox Motors Den. For those with larger groups, 12-person and 25-person suites are also available. For more information on those options, contact Turtle Creek Stadium at 231-943-0100, or for groups of ten or more , contact the stadium at 231-947-1120.

The competition will run rain or shine and doors are expected to open at 6 p.m., with the show ending around 10 p.m. More information about events surrounding the competition will be announced in the coming weeks.

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Mickey Graham Named Pit Spitters GM

After a long tenure with the  West Michigan Whitecaps  (Low A; Midwest League),  Mickey Graham  is joining the  Traverse City Pit Spitters  (summer collegiate; Northwoods League) as their new general manager. 

“I’m thrilled to have this opportunity!” said Graham. “Northern Michigan is a wonderful part of the state and I’m looking forward to getting to know the Traverse City area and becoming a part of this community.”

Graham spent 19 years with the Whitecaps, including the last 14 as their Director of Marketing and Media. In 19 years with the Whitecaps, Graham developed a track record of creating unique promotions. Among the promotional highlights include entries such as the Fifth Third Burger, Star Wars Night and Peanut Free Days just to name a few.

In his new role as General Manager, Graham will oversee all aspects of the Pit Spitters operation.

“Mickey is the right person at the right time to lead this franchise. I am confident that he has the experience to reinvigorate the market, creatively use that ballpark for outside events and to bring our organizational core values of providing fun and family-friendly entertainment to Traverse City and Northern Michigan,” said Whitecaps and Pit Spitters CEO Joe Chamberlin . “He has been a huge part of cementing the Whitecaps in the West Michigan community, which will translate well as we work to make Pit Spitters baseball a summertime staple in Northern Michigan for years to come.”

The Pit Spitters open the 2019 Northwoods League season at home on Tuesday, May 28 against the Green Bay Booyah.

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Growing Pains: Traverse City Tourism CEO Talks New Hotels, Demand, Labor Shortages, And Growth Opportunities

By craig manning | nov. 20, 2022.

Yesterday, The Ticker shared updates on the status of eight different hotels that are either under construction or planned for the near future in Traverse City. But perhaps the biggest question about these properties, beyond their construction timelines and estimated opening dates, is whether Traverse City’s tourism economy can even support them. To answer that question, The Ticker touched base with Trevor Tkach, president and CEO of Traverse City Tourism (TCT), to talk local hotel inventory, recent occupancy trends, labor shortages, and new TCT marketing strategies.

Ticker: Eight new hotels are in the works, which would bring a 20 percent increase in the number of hotel rooms in Traverse City. What does that mean for TCT?

Tkach: It’s always exciting for us to see new and fresh product in the market. And there’s definitely demand for it at certain times of the year. But we also know we have to work hard to keep all of our transient options viable throughout the year. That is a challenge, and as we get more of these units in market, it’s going to become a bigger challenge. Per the law of the land, these new properties all fit the criteria and will become TCT members when they get online. We've had interaction with some of those groups already, and we're excited to get moving on programs that will help keep their rooms full and keep the travel economy strong.

Ticker: You previously told The Ticker that this summer was a little bit slower than the past few years…

Tkach: We haven't finished out the year just yet, so I don't have a full report to deliver. But I can say that occupancy has been kind of soft – meaning we haven't seen real growth in occupancy year-over-year, at least for the summer months. We started off really strong in the first quarter of 2022. We had a really strong ski season, and we started to see some of our conference business come back. But then, in the summer, we saw occupancy that was maybe a little bit below what we saw in 2021. Northern Michigan did pretty well with occupancy during the pandemic, especially in the summer months. A lot of people used northern Michigan as an escape from the pandemic in the bigger cities, so we were the benefactors of that migration of people into more rural spaces. The growth we saw this year was more relative to rate increases, so anything that we were seeing in gains was really just keeping up with inflationary challenges in the marketplace.

Ticker: Obviously, not all these rooms are coming online at once. It’s going to be more of a rolling process over the next 4-5 years. But 800 rooms is a lot, and if we’re not seeing off-the-charts growth in the local tourism economy, how much space is there for all these new hotels to come in fill those rooms and be successful?

Tkach:  I wish I had a crystal ball that could answer this age-old question of whether northern Michigan can keep growing as a four-season destination. We know that summertime can carry, and that there will be enough demand to keep filling more units as they come online. I think the growth of short-term rentals (STRs) has proven that. We've seen significant growth in STRs over the past 5-10 years. In recent years, we're looking at probably about 20 percent increase in inventory in that segment alone. And in general, we can say that the increase in STR inventory hasn't reduced demand for traditional hotel lodging. Until this past year, we haven't seen occupancy numbers stagnate or go backward, except for when we were hit with the pandemic.

If you think about it, those increases in STRs are just increases of more units in the market. So, to say another hotel coming in with 100 units is something that this market can't absorb? I would argue that we can absorb that – in the summer months, at least – because we've watched it happen with STRs.

Where I think we need to be mindful is with the other three seasons. A lot of STRs might be seasonal, where they put that inventory online in the summer months and then pull it back off in the winter. Hotels don't tend to do that, especially the ones we're seeing built right now. The Hilton Tru, that's not going to be a seasonal property. When that one turns on, that's going to be on 365 days a year. So that’s 90 rooms times 365 days that we need to try to fill to maximize our potential. And that’s what TCT is here to help do. Keeping the travel economy strong throughout the year, keeping small businesses viable, and keeping workers fully employed and making better wages – those are our goals.

Ticker: Speaking of which, TCT is expanding upon the ways in which you attract tourists to the region. You just hired former Traverse City Pit Spitters GM Mickey Graham to focus more on sports, concerts, and events. Can you speak to how those types of new initiatives might help fill some of these rooms?

Tkach:  Mickey Graham is a great example of an investment in a person to help develop programming in times of need. We don't need another major event in the summertime on the weekend. We need events midweek in the spring. We need activities to happen now, in the fall. We’ve proven they can work. And I'm optimistic to see things like the comedy festival coming back online , because any activity in the winter that can bring people in from out of town to spend the night, that’s important to our economy.

The sports piece is a big piece, too. We’ve seen significant interest from our own community to have more sporting events and more recreational facilities available throughout the year. I'm predicting we will see that start to come to fruition over the next five years. There is enough interest and enough demand, and now that we see these new rooms in market, there's definitely justification to start to build more resources to help bring sports tournaments here, and then to use those events to fill rooms and keep businesses busy year-round.

Something that has been a critical piece of the puzzle for us for many years is conferences and group business. That traditionally happens in our market at a pretty high level between September and May. And we need those events. Fortunately, they’re starting to come back in force, and we're excited to see that conference calendar fill up for a lot of our full-service properties. We're hoping to keep that pipeline full of leads and opportunities, because often, we’re planning 3-5 years out for those events, and all of that disappeared during COVID.

Ticker: The other big thing here is that eight new hotels means eight new hotel staffs…

Tkach:  I think that’s the thing that is giving us all heart palpitations right now. All these cranes and air and all this stuff being built – and it’s not just hotels – you can’t help but ask, ‘Where are the workers going come from?’

Our industry is looking very closely at ways to help address this challenge. I don't think it's going to get solved right away. Hospitality was hit probably harder than any other industry by COVID’s first wave, and It’s hard to bring people back to an industry where more than 25 percent of the people had to be let go or chose to leave during the pandemic. So, we're already working from behind as an industry, trying to recruit people back and to encourage new workers into this industry.

There are seasonal solutions for some of this stuff. Some of the changes at the federal level related to visa workers being able to come into market and help sustain our economy, that’s going to help. Because there are never going to be enough workers to fill all the positions. There's a misconception that visa workers are going to take a U.S. citizen’s job, and that’s just not the case. There are simply not enough people in-market year-round to cover all these jobs.

But it’s expensive to [bring visa workers here]. Grand Traverse Resort is making a huge investments to build housing for these folks . And across the board, there are big investments being made to make sure that our hotels can provide the service and keep open all the amenities that visitors have come to expect. At TCT, we’ve tried to find ways to make sure childcare is addressed. We’ve been a partner with the Tri-share program with the state since its inception, trying to help relieve families in the hospitality industry of the burden of childcare expense. And then we're also looking at housing in general. We've invested in Housing North, and we continue to stay engaged on a number of fronts to see what opportunities might pop up where TCT can have an impact on the housing piece.

Ticker: Any other major new investments or growth strategies to get TCT to the point where it can effectively fill an extra 800 rooms?  

I think there will be some growing pains over the next five years, meaning that demand probably won't climb annually as quickly as supply climbs. We’re going to have to work really hard with our members to find solutions to keep all the hotels full, and that’s why we are being innovative, and bringing on new people, and looking at new projects that can potentially beat the seasonality of our market. And that comes down to amenities, mostly indoor. Again, the sports and entertainment component is very important to us. We know that if we can continue to create events that are appealing not just to locals, but also to people outside the market where they're willing to come and spend a night or two, that has a profound impact in the middle of January, or April, or November. We’ve got some real soft spots in the calendar right now, where occupancy drops to 25 percent or lower. We have to work really hard to come up with any and all opportunities that would bring people here.

And then we’re also working with the airport. If we can get more direct flights here, that helps the economy and helps locals with options for travel. So, I think you'll see a lot of our attention focused on destination development going forward.

Interlochen Raises The Bar For Edmonia

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When Traverse City’s RPM Records first opened its doors in April 2010, both the business and the product it was selling were relative novelties. RPM is one ...

Outside the Box: New Study Shows Economic Growth, Opportunities for Outdoor Recreation Market

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The outdoor economy employs 4,712 workers in the 10 counties of northwest Lower Michigan and contributes $1.15 billion to the gross regional product, or nearly 10 percent ...

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Traffic Stop Leads to Search of Drug House

One year of recreation cannabis in traverse city, place your bets: expert to talk online sports gambling boom, tank space opens on eighth, more retail/restaurant news, featured local savings.

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Sports Events 

An unspoiled jewel on Lake Michigan’s NW shore, Traverse City is the perfect four-season destination for sports enthusiasts.

From youth sports to internationally acclaimed amateur events -- including the Bayshore Marathon, the Iceman Cometh Challenge the largest one-day mountain bike race in the U.S., and the North American Vasa ski race -- Traverse City can accommodate a variety of athletic events.

The full-service Cherry Capital Airport provides commercial service to 300 domestic and international destinations and is just minutes from nearly 5,000+ guest rooms and over 200 miles of sugar-sand beaches that surround crystal clear lakes and bays.

Come play and stay in Traverse City! Learn more by contacting Mickey Graham, Director of Sports and Events. Email: [email protected] . 

Marquee Events

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