Harrison Township — Macomb County continues to explore the idea of a hotel and conference center being built somewhere on its Lake St. Clair shoreline, County Executive Mark Hackel said Wednesday.
“There’s been continuous conversation about how do we get some type of hotel-convention center out on Lake St. Clair,” said Hackel during his annual State of the Lake address. “We’re very interested. The municipal leaders along the shoreline here in Macomb County are very interested. At some point in time, we’re hopeful that there’s going to be an investor who says, ‘I think I can make a go of this, it’s going to be profitable.'”
Hackel’s remarks about a hotel and convention center came while speaking to the media after his annual address at MacRay Harbor in Harrison Township. The event, which always focuses on the economic impact of Lake St. Clair on the region, included dozens of business leaders, policy managers, environmental experts, and tourism professionals
It was sponsored by the Macomb County Chamber, Comcast and others.
Hackel said officials have some locations in the county in mind for a hotel and convention center, but he can’t say what they are due to financial concerns.
Macomb County’s Executive first mentioned the idea of getting a hotel and conference center built on the lake in the county in 2024.
During Wednesday’s speech, Hackel and Macomb County Deputy Executive JP Rea touted the lake’s economic impact on the county, saying it continues to be an economic boon, generating about $2.2 billion for the region through recreation on the lake and businesses.
Among the other findings about Lake St. Clair:
∎ Destinations on Macomb County’s waterfront annually draw more than 17 million visitors;
∎ More than 1,000 Macomb County businesses connected to industries that depend on the lake employ about 18,000 workers;
∎ Consumers spend about $870 million in boat and fishing charters in the county;
∎ Macomb County has 62 marinas that provide about 21,000 boat slips for the region;
∎ And recreation and fishing on the lake account for about 1.68 million occupied hotel room nights in the region.
“The blue economy isn’t simply about water,” said Kelley Lovati, the Macomb Chamber’s CEO. “It’s about jobs, it’s about investment, it’s about tourism and recreation, it’s about manufacturing, defense, maritime, defense, logistics, infrastructure, technology and innovation.”
She said it’s also about protecting the natural resources that make all of those opportunities possible.
“The Great Lakes are one of our region’s greatest economic and environmental assets,” Lovati said. “But we don’t have the luxury of looking at these two priorities separately. A healthy Great Lakes supports a healthy economy, and a strong economy gives us the resources to be good stewards of the environment.”
Hackel also told the media that the county continues to address environmental threats to Lake St. Clair, such as sewage overflows and Lyngbya — the blue-green algae that results in a thick layer of muck on the lake. A pilot program to remove the muck starts this fall from three locations on the lake.
Hackel and Rea also highlighted recent projects representing significant investment to improve destinations on the lake’s waterfront and expand public access to the water, including:
∎ The $7 million Ford House’s Lower Lake St. Clair Habitat Restoration Project, which upgraded about a mile of the lake’s shoreline on its property and 17 acres of coastal marsh and wetlands;
∎ A $3 million project to improve the waterfront, including expanding its 40 boat slips, at Walter and Mary Burke Park in New Baltimore,
∎ A $2 million improvement project at Brandenburg Park in Chesterfield Township to make upgrades to its pier and playground.
∎ And, the $15 million project at Lake St. Clair Metropark in Harrison Township that will enhance its North Marina, boardwalk, hiking trail network, and infrastructure.
Hackel said the lake’s future depends on continued regional collaboration and a shared commitment between the communities around it to protect the environment and foster economic opportunities.
Adam Bell, owner of the Clinton River Boathouse, a marina located on the river in Harrison Township, said he supports the county’s efforts to boost the economy tied to the lake.
“I think it’s great that the county recognizes how important the waterways are to the economy and that they’re taking steps to help develop it, and keep it clean and safe,” he said. “I’m not on Lake St. Clair, I’m on the river. Anything that can be done for the river is great.”
cramirez@detroitnews.com
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This article originally appeared on The Detroit News: Hackel: Macomb Co. continues to explore idea of Lake St. Clair hotel
Reporting by Charles E. Ramirez, The Detroit News / The Detroit News
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By Charles E. Ramirez, The Detroit News | USA TODAY Network
