The Muskegon Lake deep water port was an unlikely spot for tourists or economic development in the 1970s. The water was simply too polluted from an old paper mill, and other industrial facilities on the shore. However in the late 1970s two major decisions helped to transform the Lake Michigan port town. A ban on new industrial production on the shore as well as the creation of a waste water treatment facility. The industrial ban forced a potential coal operation to leave the area, and the loss of jobs was initially devastating. However this initial policy has payed off, and now the Muskegon port has completely changed.

Today, the Muskegon Port is hosting a conference of regional port towns in order to show off their newfound success. Muskegon has promoted all four sectors recommended by the Michigan Department of Natural Resources and Environment, through a collaborative initiative. The port is now a place for recreational tourists, commercial shipping, marine construction, and ferry transportation. The reopening of the link between Milwaukee and Muskegon in 2004 was a remarkable event, and now over 100,000 people use the ferry during the tourist season. A study has also been commissioned to find the feasibility for truck container shipping across the lake, which would avoid the congestion around Chicago and help to move goods more efficiently. Waterfront construction of homes, new businesses, and marinas have helped to make the deep water port an economic engine. Particularly exciting is the possibility of the construction of offshore wind farms, which local residents could service and maintain. The Michigan Port conference, meeting in Muskegon, has sought to replicate this success to ports throughout the Great Lakes. In the past, many residents feared that the loss of large industrial companies, like coal and paper mills, would be detrimental to the local economy. The Muskegon case has shown that a mixed used port can be established, that promotes both economic and recreational growth. Wind-farms are another obvious investment for the region, as Michigan is already one of the windiest states in the nation, especially along the waterfront. Windmills in Traverse City have also been a great success, and not a hindrance to the local economy. Hopefully the cleanup of Lake Michigan can serve an example to other areas around the country, even to large industrial cities like Chicago or Detroit. Despite the initial costs of clean up and the maintenance of clean water and beaches, this will lead to long term growth as shown by the case of Muskegon. Policies set forth in the late 70s have paved the way for responsible and green economic development, that can be replicated throughout the country. Sailboat races, charter fishing trips, transport, and the Lake Express ferry are now all staples of the Muskegon Lake port, which shows that multipurpose facilities can drive economic growth. Cooperation between the public and private sectors have allowed for this growth, and there are many prospects for future expansion of the port. The reappearance of walley and perch have been a boon to local recreational fisherman, which has also helped to expand the new residential housing on the waterfront. The Muskegon port project cannot be replicated in all areas, especially ports heavily dependent on industrial producers and jobs. However the promotion of mixed use ports have been on the rise, and a potential new model for economic development.

http://www.mlive.com/news/muskegon/index.ssf/2010/05/muskegon_lakes_transformation.html