Sleeping Bear awakens as U.S. government re-opens
What effect did closing of Park have on local economy?
By Jacob Wheeler
Sun editor
Connie Bohlinger of Macomb County, Mich., and Linda Jones of Fort Myers, Fla., laughed as they descended the Sleeping Bear Dune Climb Thursday afternoon, kicking one foot in front of the other to avoid tumbling forward into its sugary sands. The two women and their husbands had just met while vacationing in Northern Michigan.
Bohlinger, who was staying in Charlevoix, waited until yesterday to visit Sleeping Bear because the 16-day federal government shutdown had closed the popular tourism spot and other destinations including Pierce Stocking Scenic Drive, the museum at Glen Haven and the National Lakeshore headquarters in Empire. She expressed relief that the federal government had re-opened (after House Republicans conceded and held a vote to re-open Washington, D.C., Wednesday evening), allowing the Dune Climb to once again welcome visitors.
Pierce Stocking, a crowed jewel of the Lakeshore for its scenic vistas and accessibility to young and old, able or disabled, was still closed Thursday as maintenance crews cleared the road. It was scheduled to open Friday morning, but will close for the year on Sunday, Oct. 20, in accordance with the Park’s sequestration budget plans.
The Bohlingers and Jones are part of that cherished demographic that vacations in Northern Michigan, and makes a targeted trip to Leelanau County to visit our National Lakeshore. A spending analysis by Michigan State University released early this year showed that over 1.3 million people visited the Lakeshore in 2011 (the last year this study was conducted) and spent nearly $133 million in communities surrounding the Park. This spending reportedly supported 2,347 jobs in the area.
Were these particular tourists about to support the local economy after their run down the Dune Climb?
“We thought we might go get dinner in Glen Arbor after this,” Connie Bohlinger replied. “Can you recommend a good place for burgers?”
Meanwhile, behind them, three young Frenchmen, impeccably dressed for a cafe outing in Paris, began ascending the sugary sand hill as they tossed a mini football back and forth. And in the parking lot, an African-American family from downstate changed into running shoes in anticipation of the trek. The tourists were back, and Sleeping Bear was slowly awaking from her two-week autumn slumber.
Shutdown’s effect on local economy
Reactions were mixed as to how much the 16-day federal government shutdown affected visitation to the Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore, and thus the local tourism economy.
At the Misers’ Hoard in Empire, Paul Skinner did not notice a precipitous drop in customers. But, he said, the weather in early October was outstanding, so people may have come anyway to witness the fall colors. Many who visited his antique store had committed to this trip weeks or months ago — particularly the international crowd. “But would we have had 10 percent more traffic had the Park been open?” he wondered.
Either way, a closed National Park and a shuttered federal government was a terrible way to attract and retain tourism, Skinner opined. “The Europeans I talked to were aghast, wondering how the hell can this happen. I don’t know of any government in Europe closing down along these lines for political reasons.”
The National Lakeshore headquarters is located in Empire, which is home to only 373 people. So the furlough of nearly 60 Park employees cost a high percentage of local citizens their earning power, which certainly has a trickle-down effect on day-to-day spending. At the Friendly Tavern — the place in downtown Empire to get a beer and a meal — staff confirmed a noticeable decline in customers during the shutdown.
Pierce Stocking opened Friday morning after Park employees spent Thursday clearing the road of debris that accumulated during the 16-day shutdown.
Meanwhile, the Glen Arbor Bed & Breakfast was booked solid during weekends, but manager Katie Rabidoux did notice fewer mid-week walk-ins — perhaps due to reports that the Park was closed, even though able-bodied citizens could easily drive around the obstacles at the Dune Climb parking lot, or get out and bike Pierce Stocking Scenic Drive. “It bothered some people a bit to walk trails without paying,” she said. “We had to tell tourists that no one would be ticketed.”
By comparison, the bed & breakfast was full throughout mid-weeks in early October 2012.
National Lakeshore Deputy Superintendent Tom Ulrich was certainly happy to be back in uniform Thursday. Because they never knew when the government shutdown would end, Park employees weren’t able to simply pack up and take a vacation. Like many Americans, Ulrich followed the national political news Wednesday evening, and figured he would be able to return to work the next morning, once Republican House Speaker John Boehner made it clear he would hold a floor vote to re-open the government. Official word was handed down through the Department of the Interior between midnight and 5 a.m., and Ulrich got his confirmation when he checked the department’s website early Thursday morning. He called the five employees he supervises and told them the news. In turn, they called their subordinates, and so on.
Park employees will receive back pay for their furloughed time, which may compensate for any effects on their families’ day-to-day financial situation. Nevertheless, no one wanted this shutdown, said Ulrich. “The most difficult thing for employees was the uncertainty. Those first few days of being furloughed, you were like, really, is this happening? I made the most of it, spending time with family … but it still left an odd, unsettled feeling.”
Ulrich and Park Superintendent Dusty Shultz let furloughed staff know of an employee assistant plan, in case any workers were struggling financially from the shutdown and needed help. To Ulrich’s knowledge, no Park staff came forward, leading him to believe that the furlough was brief enough that it didn’t dramatically affect anyone. The backpay should come in the next two pay periods.
Impossible to quantify is how many school field trips or visits by the elderly or disabled the shutdown prevented. The Lakeshore has no mechanism to monitor how many large groups visit the Park, and how many were turned away this month.
“The weather being as good as it was during fall colors, I’m sure we would have had more visitors,” estimates Ulrich. “I’m sure a number of people who planned to come to the area stayed away, and that certainly has an impact.”
