With boats winterized and put away for the next months, many boaters are spending the offseason preparing for next summer by planning trips and buying new boat accessories. As we look ahead to next year, it’s worth looking back to reflect on how important the recreational economy is to Minnesota.
Whether on the water, shoreline or out deep in the forests, outdoor recreation is larger than a weekend fishing trip or sunset cruise. The outdoor recreation industry makes up a substantial portion of state and national economies, channeling money into additional industries such as retail, hospitality, tourism and even real estate.
Minnesota has the second highest number of registered boats in the nation. Communities surrounding popular lakes like Lake Superior, Lake Minnetonka and Big Sand Lake may feel the impacts first, but the entire state benefits from waterside recreation. Recently released data help tell this story.
Recently, the U.S. Department of Commerce’s Bureau of Economic Analysis released its annual report on the state of our outdoor recreation economy. According to the report, the outdoor recreation economy saw a record-breaking year in 2021, generating $862 billion in economic output, accounting for 1.9 percent of U.S. gross domestic product (GDP). Boating and fishing continues to be the number one contributor to the nearly trillion dollar outdoor recreation economy and is the largest outdoor recreational activity in 27 states, including the Land of 10,000 Lakes.
As one of the largest marine dealerships in the state, I am encouraged that boating businesses like mine are a key contributor the number one contributor to the outdoor recreation economy. Growing up, I spent summers boating on the Mississippi and Lake Pepin. Now, it’s my joy and privilege to help others get out on the water – while still ensuring our waterways maintain their natural ecosystems and beauty, and that the recreation we support is enjoyable for all who partake.
Dealers like myself are grateful for Gov. Tim Walz’s support of the recent legislation aimed at investing in fish hatcheries and repairing boat access across the state. Investments such as these are important to ensuring that boating and fishing remains popular and accessible to all Minnesotans.
Outdoor recreation means something different to everyone. That is why it’s important to have a space where local governments, businesses and communities can come together in support of the outdoor recreation economy, much like the Minnesota Outdoor Recreation Task Force. Made up of 21 members from across the recreation space in multiple sectors, the task force is charged with bringing measured growth, increased and equitable access, and a higher quality of outdoor recreation to Minnesotans and visitors. Last year, the task force recommended the formal establishment of an Office of Outdoor Recreation (OREC). If formed, Minnesota would join 16 states who have already established an OREC. When outdoor recreation flourishes, other industries do as well.
Considering recreational boating and fishing drives the state’s outdoor recreation economy, employing over 10,000 local Minnesotans in the marine space and supporting nearly 700 businesses like my own, it would behoove our lawmakers to invest in up to date, resilient infrastructure including boat ramps and public launches, fish hatcheries, and to prioritize boater education and safety. Manufacturers, dealers, boaters, and the greater recreational community have a longstanding history of proactively supporting boater education efforts and the adoption of widespread safety measures. It has always been in the industry’s best interest to ensure the wellbeing and enjoyment of all participants on the water. Without these important measures, boating cannot thrive.
Boating and other outdoor recreation activities bring people together to enjoy the many great offerings in the Land of 10,000 Lakes. It is our responsibility to make sure future generations have the same opportunity.
John Wooden is the owner of River Valley Power and Sport.
Just another instance of small town Minnesotan Tim Walz supporting additional investment in “Greater Minnesota” (and its economy) and getting rewarded with 25% of their vote.
But as a wise statesman who actually cares about the entire state, he doesn’t even hold it against them.
Unlike you, he does actually care about the whole state.
Well, at least I voted for him; can you say the same?
My vote is my personal choice. And yes, I care about the whole state too. This metro vs out-state divide is not productive for anybody, yet that is all we hear about.
My vote, as with every vote cast, is my personal choice too: I voted for Walz.
I live in the metro and spend a fair amount of time out state. My experience is a whole lot more contempt for the metro from out state than vice-versa.
Folks who haven’t ventured inside the 494/694 loop in years are certain that it is an urban hell scape that threatens all who enter.
Well all care about the whole state. It’s just what a certain subset of people, and the plan for what THEY would do TO the state that we have an issue with.
As a person who has owned homes both in theTwin Cities and up here on the Range for almost 5 decades, to infer that the Twin Cites has not changed for the worse is ludicrous. Carjackings up over 300%, peaceful protesters burning hundreds of buildings (less than 20% are back up), a 70% decline in folks going downtown…. The list is long… Acting like outstate folks don’t know what is happening in Twin Cities is plain silly.
We’ve had hundreds of boat landings going in up here, on the Range for decades, IRRRB funded. The outstate folks don’t need boat landings they need better jobs. I love boating and fishing but that doesn’t pay home mortgage and feed children. Better opportunity for a good job is what is needed and the DFL hasn’t delivered! The party that understands supporting farming, logging, mining and expanding manufacturing to outstare folks will get their vote. Neither party has done so yet.
How come the free market isn’t providing these good jobs in outstate Minnesota? Why are manufacturers not opening factories outside the metro?
To ask this another way, are you advocating government policies that would direct private investment to certain regions? What is that called this week: “picking winners,” or the more ominous-sounding “social engineering?”
Well no, the Republicans have gotten their vote, it’s just that they’re aren’t enough of them to matter, and the number goes down by the hour.
“The outstate folks don’t need boat landings they need better jobs.”
I moved here from a rural county in WI about 30 years ago because the job prospects there were dim. I figured it was my resposibility to find the job I wanted, even if I had to move to get it.
It is up to local outstate municipalities to attract good paying jobs to support their citizens. You do it by giving a property tax break to incoming businesses, you get local funding to help with startups and you show companies that you have qualified workers to fill jobs through work fairs. Non of that requires Metro involvement. With current status of Twin Cities, now is the time to get some manufacturing jobs going outstate. Also, supporting mining, logging and farming would help….. Definitely not a strong suit for DFL elites in Metro area.
“With current status of Twin Cities, now is the time to get some manufacturing jobs going outstate”
And what status would that be? a too well educated, too experienced, proven available workforce in a successful major metropolitan area?
It’s safe to venture inside the 494/694 corridor to see for yourself. You’ll probably be surprised that you can’t find your favorite Dayton’s department store from your last visit though…
Gee Joe, sounds like you want to give “free stuff” to millionaire and billionaire companies? “giving a property tax break to incoming businesses, you get local funding to help with startups” and of course, we don’t want any of that local funding or property tax breaks supported through LGA, which is more “free stuff”!
Those who know about business will tell you that taxes are only one part of the consideration in deciding where a business goes. What about proximity to markets? Transportation infrastructure? Other infrastructure? A workforce with adequate education/training for the jobs?
Can smaller communities afford to provide meaningful funding to attract business? Can their budgets sustain the hit of giving a tax break? Are the incentives really effective (see, e.g., Foxconn)?
Hilariously Metro Guys feel the only intelligent folks in the state live in the Twin Cities. Take a look at Mpls Public School achievement tests and get back to me. Property tax breaks help the community in the long run, more folks having good jobs equals more folks owning houses. Local investments, whether community bank, credit unions or individuals brings a hometown feel and the community feels vested in the project.
No handouts needed and no “really smart Metro folks” needed. That is why we choose to live up here a real sense of community, unfortunately neither political party understands that.
The facts of the matter:
564.4 million in Local Gov. Aid in MN in 2022
Every city in Minnesota receives Local Government Aid (LGA) from the state.
It is an annual investment intended to pay for essential services and reduce property taxes.
As the state’s largest city, Minneapolis receives the largest distribution of LGA funds. This year, that amounts to $77.5 million.
Here’s how it’s distributed it in the budget.
$68.1 million — General Fund
$ 9.2 million — Minneapolis Park Board
$ 0.2 million — Municipal Building Commission (MBC)
Minneapolis generates 3.5 times more in tax revenue to the state than it receives in state aid. This number includes:
Sales tax
Income tax
Property tax
How about your home town and its’ handout?
“Property tax breaks help the community in the long run, more folks having good jobs equals more folks owning houses. Local investments, whether community bank, credit unions or individuals brings a hometown feel and the community feels vested in the project.”
The hilarious part is that the range has its own slush fund of hundreds of millions of dollars to do exactly what Joe wants and every time he comments on the IRRRB it is to whine and complain about it.
Here’s last year’s list of handouts:
chrome-extension://efaidnbmnnnibpcajpcglclefindmkaj/https://mn.gov/irrrb/assets/June%207%2C%202022%20Packet_tcm1047-529856.pdf
“Take a look at Mpls Public School achievement tests and get back to me.”
Getting back to you:
I paid a visit to MPS HQ a few years back and was struck by the big sign welcoming new students to MPS. In 6 different languages!
Think maybe they have a pretty big challenge in front of them compared to other districts? Like districts near you? Kick ’em when they are down: The Trumpian code of moral behavior…
You know seems less and less sense every time you plunk something out here! Seems you like to compare things that aren’t even close in magnitude or scale! Over 92 X more people in the metro, and no community? At 3.7M we got to have community and tolerance to get along!
“The Mesabi Iron Range includes 11 small towns: Hibbing, Chisholm, Buhl, Mountain Iron, Virginia, Gilbert, Eveleth, Biwabik, Hoyt Lakes, Aurora and Embarrass, ranging is size from hundreds to around 16,000. All together, the population is around 40,000 – just right!”
“Minneapolis-St. Paul-Bloomington metro area population in the U.S. 2010-2021. In 2021, the population of the Minneapolis-St. Paul-Bloomington metropolitan area in the United States was about 3.69 million people”
Sorry Metro Guys all you have done is show why small cities and communities need to be creative, within themselves, to attract a company to their town. Everything said by the Metro Guys says big Government will help you, hasn’t happened yet.
Possibly my favorite excuse for poor education results in Mpls was the sign greeting students in 6 languages. Just think how cool it would be if you had that sign in 10 languages? Not learning how to read and write in English along with not being able to do basic math will hold back those students their whole life. How about one sign that says after 13 years of our public schooling you will be able to read, write do math and get a job? Now that makes sense!
How many languages up there Joe 10? “Everything said by the Metro Guys says big Government will help you, hasn’t happened yet.” Gee Joe, did you forget what you posted? “giving a property tax break to incoming businesses, you get local funding to help with startups” isn’t that what Govt. does? When you have populations 92X we can expect those govt’s to be bigger than Gilbert Pop. 1,675 don’t you think? So if big gov’t doesn’t help, how come so much growth and population here in the metro, shouldn’t that all be on the Range? With all that great education on the range, how come there is no mass migration and development?