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sa meredith · 10-16-2008, 06:13 PM

While I agree the original poster may have an agenda...I honestly believe their is indeed some merit to what he has to say.
Any business, or in this case vaction destinantion has to change with the times. Adapt to what an evolving generation likes and wants. Think of two simple examples....in 1978, would you have believed that one day McDonalds would one day offer salad...and people would actually buy it????
And how about this...at one time Dunken Dounuts actaully had customers who bought dounuts. And they offered ONE type of coffee. (what is it now...14 flavors?) People's likes/wants change...and so did the offerings of these stores.
An area like the Weirs is probably in need of some wholesale change. I'm sure it is sentimental to many of you "lifers", but ask the former owners of Surf Coaster how the area did, in trying to continue to draw newer and larger crowds every year. And for that matter, many of the small places on the strip.
It's funny...it's a love/hate thing. On one hand, I sorta love the fact I can find myself on the strip, and it can instantly bring me back to my childhood.
Because, it looks the exact same as it did back in 1975,76,77,78,79...when we could not get out of Dad's car fast enough to run to our favorite pinball machine, and later, arcade game. But on the other, the place just has to adapt and chage eventually, IMO. I read a good letter in The Weirs Times this past August, from a gentleman who says he comes back year after
year to the Weirs. Been doing it forever...but does not know why anymore. And his kids are not crazy about it, because they end up doing the same thing every summer...he went on and on.
I guess my point is this...this idea of having a place at the lake, and relaxing, and just loving those lazy days on the lake, and hard core water ski, and wake board days...this is not what is being discussed here. This core group of "lakers" will always be there. But to truely thrive, the lake has to drawn that family of 4, to come up, stay a full week, and be ready to dump $1500/$2000 into the local economy...week after week, month after month. And I don't think this is happening...independent of current economic conditions.
Some areas (see: Meredith) are new and fresh..but others???
Just my two cents. There is a bit of merit to the original post in this thread. The area does not have to cahnge to cater to the home and camp owners...we are here, and probably not leaving. The vacation crowd??? Another story. That's all I got...
Go Sox!!!!!!!!!!!!! Dice tonight/ Becs Saturday/ Les takes it Sunday night!

10-16-2008, 06:13 PM	#11
sa meredith Senior Member Join Date: Jun 2007 Posts: 986 Blog Entries: 1 Thanks: 32 Thanked 352 Times in 137 Posts	think for a second While I agree the original poster may have an agenda...I honestly believe their is indeed some merit to what he has to say. Any business, or in this case vaction destinantion has to change with the times. Adapt to what an evolving generation likes and wants. Think of two simple examples....in 1978, would you have believed that one day McDonalds would one day offer salad...and people would actually buy it???? And how about this...at one time Dunken Dounuts actaully had customers who bought dounuts. And they offered ONE type of coffee. (what is it now...14 flavors?) People's likes/wants change...and so did the offerings of these stores. An area like the Weirs is probably in need of some wholesale change. I'm sure it is sentimental to many of you "lifers", but ask the former owners of Surf Coaster how the area did, in trying to continue to draw newer and larger crowds every year. And for that matter, many of the small places on the strip. It's funny...it's a love/hate thing. On one hand, I sorta love the fact I can find myself on the strip, and it can instantly bring me back to my childhood. Because, it looks the exact same as it did back in 1975,76,77,78,79...when we could not get out of Dad's car fast enough to run to our favorite pinball machine, and later, arcade game. But on the other, the place just has to adapt and chage eventually, IMO. I read a good letter in The Weirs Times this past August, from a gentleman who says he comes back year after year to the Weirs. Been doing it forever...but does not know why anymore. And his kids are not crazy about it, because they end up doing the same thing every summer...he went on and on. I guess my point is this...this idea of having a place at the lake, and relaxing, and just loving those lazy days on the lake, and hard core water ski, and wake board days...this is not what is being discussed here. This core group of "lakers" will always be there. But to truely thrive, the lake has to drawn that family of 4, to come up, stay a full week, and be ready to dump $1500/$2000 into the local economy...week after week, month after month. And I don't think this is happening...independent of current economic conditions. Some areas (see: Meredith) are new and fresh..but others??? Just my two cents. There is a bit of merit to the original post in this thread. The area does not have to cahnge to cater to the home and camp owners...we are here, and probably not leaving. The vacation crowd??? Another story. That's all I got... Go Sox!!!!!!!!!!!!! Dice tonight/ Becs Saturday/ Les takes it Sunday night!