Ludington council to consider leasing Harbor View Marina.

Ludington council to consider leasing Harbor View Marina.

By Rob Alway, Editor-in-Chief

#LudingtonNews

LUDINGTON — City Council is expected to take action tonight, during its regular meeting, on a request from the Michigan Department of Natural Resources for the city to take over operations of Harbor View Marina. The current lessor of the marina had requested in 2018 that the state cut its lease short, which occurred on Oct. 31 of this year.

“Harbor View Marina, being a very viable business will have a positive impact on both its facility and the Ludington Municipal Marina through joint enterprise dollars excelling capital improvement projects,” City Manager Mitch Foster wrote to the council in a memo.

The marina can host up to 90 seasonal boaters upwards of 800 transient boats annually. “The community impact of these patrons is virtually immeasurable,” Foster wrote. “Along with slip fees and fuel sales at the facility the vast majority of these patrons spend multiple ays in Ludington and use restaurants and shops nearly exclusively.”

The Ludington Municipal Marina has operated an a city enterprise fund for 40 years and has maintained financial independence from the city’s general fund, Foster stated. Harbor View Marina will operate in the same manner.

The Ludington Municipal Marina board is recommending the city enters into a lease agreement with the DNR and assumes operations of Harbor View Marina.

City Council meets at 6:30 p.m. tonight, Monday, Nov. 25, at city hall, 400 S. Harrison St.

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