English playwright William Shakespeare argued that a rose by any other name would smell the same in his famous romantic tragedy, “Romeo and Juliet.”
How about a chamber of commerce? Does changing its name make a difference?
In the case of the Muskegon Area Chamber of Commerce, its new name makes an important point.
Muskegon Lakeshore Chamber of Commerce tells you exactly where the community is located.
With lakeshore in the name, there’s no mistaking what Muskegon is about — beaches and water, along with business and industry.
An organization representing a county that has more surface water than any other West Michigan locale plus 27 miles of Lake Michigan shoreline, 27 inland lakes, more than 400 miles of river and a deep-water port shouldn't hide its assets under an ordinary name.
Unlike other West Michigan communities whose advertising campaigns refer to the lakeshore, Muskegon is the lakeshore. The area needs to take back one of its most important assets and play it up.
The mission of the chamber hasn't changed. It is still striving, along with Muskegon Area First and other economic development organizations and local governments, to develop the community into a leader in advanced manufacturing, a regional health care center and retail destination, a burgeoning retirement community and a Midwest tourist mecca.
But now the chamber also is emphasizing the community's “blue” economy, which is becoming a major factor. Many businesses in Muskegon are water based — marinas, fisheries, bait shops, boat dealers, charter and rental firms. Others are linked through shipping to the deep-water port or through tourism to the beaches and lakes. There's even substantial scientific research being conducted on the lakes and rivers in Muskegon County that is drawing national attention.
So, the time is right to make the name change. It also allows the chamber to redevelop the community's identity — for residents and visitors.
With the new name, it's clear there's a quality of life in Muskegon that you won't find elsewhere. And that's something people who live here sometimes forget.
Muskegon is a great place and it has the potential to get even better. But it won't if residents continue to bad mouth the community forgetting the wonderful beaches and parks, lakes and rivers and people that make this community a terrific place to live.
A place many would move to at the drop of a hat, if they realized what we have here.
So go for it, Muskegon Lakeshore Chamber of Commerce. Play up our most important assets and at the same time make us proud to say we're from Muskegon Lakeshore.
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