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Revitalizing the Peninsula’s Winter Economy – An Immodest Proposal

(NOTE: Back in January I asked readers to let me know what columns they would like to see re-printed from the past 20 years. Not surprisingly (at least to me) one of the most requested columns so far is the one that appears below. It originally ran in the Peninsula Pulse at this time of year in 2007)

Through several years of these columns you have read about the downturn in tourism on the peninsula and the challenges we face to correct this situation. Winters have been particularly difficult, as our “shoulder seasons” (spring and fall) have compressed and the weather has proven to be unreliable.

In northern Door County, tourism is even more important. Because of this reliance on tourism, it is probably not surprising that whenever long-term visioning takes place here in Northern Door the idea of attracting “light industry” always creeps into the conversation. Since the early 1990s when I became an active participant in local matters, the idea of luring some type of industry to Northern Door has been a recurring theme.

Once the wishful thinking gives way to pragmatism, however, the discussion ends. Door County is a peninsula and this is one of the instances where our geography works against us.

There are two main impediments to an industry of almost any type locating at the north end of the peninsula. The first is transportation. If you are involved in manufacturing, the cost involved in bringing materials up the peninsula and then shipping them back down the peninsula is prohibitive: goods can only come in one way and they can only go out one way. Other areas (namely, anywhere other than a peninsula or an island) offer diversified shipping and receiving channels.

The other factor is our lack of high-speed telecommunications and while the reliability and speed of our connections has improved somewhat in recent years, we are still far behind more centralized urban markets in this field.

With those two chief obstacles noted, it’s not surprising that the north end of the peninsula has been unsuccessful in attracting any light industry. Indeed, no one has ever been able to identify any type of industry that would be a likely candidate to relocate to Northern Door.

Well, folks, maybe the problem here is that we are looking at what we don’t have available instead of what we do have available. We have some of the most scenic landscapes and shorelines anywhere in the country. We have the isolation that a peninsula affords. And for seven months of the year, we are a very, very quiet rural community that’s not on the way to anywhere. What industry would be attracted to these attributes? Well, after considerable thought on the matter, I believe I have an answer: the adult film industry.

Okay, now that you have picked the paper back up and found your place again in this column, hear me out. I think you will see – as I have come to see – that northern Door County, at least during the off-season months, is an ideal location for the adult film industry to create their product.

As noted above, we have scenic beauty, and while it may be cold outside for scantily clad (or un-clad) actors to venture outdoors, the opportunity for beautiful backgrounds through patio windows is certain to be intriguing to cinematographers. And consider the innumerable scenic locations our almost 300 miles of shoreline, our parks, our villages, and our quaint farm settings afford.

We offer wonderful resorts that during the off-season months are grossly under utilized. Entire films could be shot at any one of these fine facilities without grossly inconveniencing other guests. We also boast a multitude of extravagant homes that sit vacant for seven months of the year which could be rented by a production company for filming.

With the adult film industry our chief liabilities are not as great as with other industries. Transportation isn’t a significant issue since all the crew would be staying in Northern Door, and our lack of high-speed telecommunications, while an inconvenience, doesn’t really handicap those involved in creating adult films. Almost all – if not all – of our finest resorts have high-speed internet access and our cell phones work just fine. Even our quiet isolation is an asset where adult film-making is concerned.

When you stop to assess our strengths it becomes obvious that we have what the adult film industry is looking for in a location other than, perhaps, a few degrees Fahrenheit.

Now stop to think about the benefits northern Door County realizes from having the adult film industry producing films on our peninsula during the off-season. We will have beds filled in our lodging sector that would never otherwise be filled. Our restaurants will be busier and some that currently close may well be inclined to stay open in the winter. Our caterers will be busy providing all manner of morsels and refreshments for the crew(s) during the business day. Our shops will see increased business as adult film stars and crew pick up local souvenirs and remembrances of their filming days in Northern Door. And there may even be employment opportunities for locals as gophers, gaffers, or – dare I say – even walk-on parts in the actual films!

And let’s not forget the tremendous exposure [pardon the pun] Northern Door – and the peninsula – will receive from hundreds of adult movies, shot on location in our home towns and being distributed worldwide. Like it or not, millions and millions of Americans buy, rent, or download adult films. Just think of the impact and awareness adult films shot in Door County will have on our regular tourist season!

In essence, the adult film industry comes to town and Northern Door gets a much needed economic shot in the arm during the months it is most needed and then we see an upswing in the tourist season through free advertising.

I realize that this is a lot to take in and that many of you will probably find this difficult to swallow. Difficult times call for creative solutions. As motivational speakers are fond of saying, “We need to think outside the box” [uh … never mind]. The adult film industry provides the answer to many of our most difficult challenges and we should begin concerted efforts to attract them to northern Door County. Once they see what we do have to offer they will almost certainly want to begin filming.

April Fools.