By John Ramos
On October 16, 2008, as a natural outgrowth of my research on the Great Lakes Aquarium, I began attending board meetings of the Spirit Mountain Recreation Area Authority.
Spirit Mountain and the aquarium have much in common. Both are large tourist attractions. Both are state authorities. Both are subsidized by Duluth’s tourism tax. Both [...]
Posts under ‘Tourism’
Spirit Mountain’s Secret Budget
An Implied Obligation: The Paradox of Tourism in Duluth
By John Ramos
In the past decade, the tourism industry in Duluth has seen construction of the Great Lakes Aquarium, construction of Bayfront Park and two DECC expansions. All of these attractions, plus the Spirit Mountain ski area, are supported by the tourism tax. The money to market them also comes from the tourism tax, which [...]
The Case of the Rubber Stamp: A Thriller
By John Ramos
The night of December 1, 2008 was cold. Real cold. Dead leaves rasped about my ankles as I hurried up the wide stone steps of City Hall. I pulled open the heavy glass doors and entered the shadowy vault of the commons area. My footsteps echoed overhead. Former mayors stared down at me, [...]
City Debt and Tourism: An Illustrated Guide
By John Ramos
During the Duluth city council meeting of October 27, 2008, the council voted to authorize the sale of $4.1 million in bonds for various city obligations. Bonds constitute new debt for the city. Like many cities, Duluth has financed its operations and projects with bonds for many years; as a result, the city’s [...]