West End Chamber Asks Ishpeming DDA for Money

Western Marquette County hasn’t had its own chamber of commerce for more than a decade.

Ishpeming businesspeople are trying to change that.

The Ishpeming Business Association is asking the Downtown Development Authority to fund the new chamber.

Last night, the DDA agreed to kick in $20,000.

But the chamber has to form a board of directors and develop a formal mission statement first.

IBA chairman Charlie Anderson says with the conditional support, it’ll be easier for the chamber to attract the people it needs.

The chamber wants to start by attracting customers to downtown Ishpeming and then extend its coverage from Negaunee to Michigamme.

First up?

Finding a home of its own on US-41.

Anderson says the IBA is talking with the Ski and Snowboard Hall of Fame to possibly set up shop there.

The IBA is encouraging members to support both the chamber and the Lake Superior Community Partnership.

That’s because the LSCP does things like wide-scale economic development and locating grants that the chamber won’t be able to do.