Article by: Marty Walsh
CEDA team member Marty Walsh helped the Fillmore County EDA to host their annual Economic Development Summit at Eagle Bluff Leaning Center on March 29th. The event included seven speakers detailing the impacts of Outdoor Recreation on the tourism economy and quality of life in the county. Over 75 attendees from all corners of the county and beyond saw presentations from a wide variety of partners including the County Attorney presenting on the legal challenges of Outdoor Recreation, a local non-profit which built a private trail that brings regional tourists, the National Trout Center, Explore Minnesota, and Go Advntr (a start-up based in the region bringing a new customer engagement model to adventure based businesses).
The Event also was the launch of the new Comprehensive Recreation Map Web App which combines the recreational assets of the county with State, Local and Non-profit recreation assets in a groundbreaking tool for planning and business development. The Map concept, which was proposed by Walsh, was developed over a year of partnership between the Fillmore County EDA and Saint Mary’s University GeoSpatial Services utilizing data from the Department of Natural Resources, County GIS Program, the National Trout Center, Local Cities and other organizations. It will be used as a promotional tool for local tourism businesses as well as a planning tool for tourism and residents alike seeking to access Fillmore Counties great outdoors. To check out the newly launched Recreation Map, CLICK HERE!
