Posted by mwehking
January 26th, 2011 at 10:13am
under Events
Tina Chapman, Executive Director, Mille Lacs Tourism
Special Note: Make It Mille Lacs and Mille Lacs Area Tourism are partners.
Mille Lacs Lake is lucky to have Tina Chapman pulling for it.
She is the energetic, super-organized 47-year old executive director of Mille Lacs Area Tourism (MLAT). She’s been in position just more than seven months since taking over for long-time director Judy Cain, who died last June after a long bout with cancer.
Chapman’s early report card is glowing.
“She’s brought us a great newsletter, grabbing the interest of many people,” said MLAT board member Craig Hagman, who has worked with Chapman since 1993 (she was treasurer from then to last year). “Just her ability to be very accurate and accountable is key. She comes to us with great experience. It’s about putting heads in beds.”
So far, Chapman is fortifying MLAT’s leading position in both state and Midwestern tourism circles. To date, she’s slightly increased business membership around the lake. She’s always busy with recruiting and retention, showing businesses why they should support MLAT.
“I really want to see everybody do well and things are coming around – people are really starting to work together,” said Chapman, half-squinting as we peered out onto a snow-swept Cove Bay one recent morning to talk about her job. “We’re a destination vacation location geared toward family. ”
With some prodding, Chapman described an average day at our request. It might align with the hours of a dairy farmer or active duty military member. That is, early to rise and work. And work. All day and often into the evening.
Since MLAT moved its headquarters from a storefront next to Johnson’s Portside on Highway 47 to the Chapman Resort office (which she and husband, Tim, own), she’s been spending a lot of time at there. MLAT made the move to save money and focus on internet marketing. Armed with computers, cell phones, landlines, faxes, some brochures, vacation planners and maps, Chapman has any drop-in or online vacationer covered. Story continues on Where to Stay Page.
Posted by mwehking
January 21st, 2011 at 17:01pm
under Mille Lacs Recreation
We're trying to track down some details about places around Mille Lacs that could have a dramatic impact on the area's recreational landscape. We just introduced you to new Mugg's owner Mike Braun on facebook.
We are told Faribault businessman Roy Winjum continues to move toward the purchase of Izatys Resort. That group started negotiations last year about this time. Commerce Bank has owned the resort since it came out of bankruptcy at the end of 2009. From what we have been told by sources speaking on condition of anonymity, all systems are moving toward a spring closing. Winjum said he planned to build a 250-unit RV park on the former site of Sanctuary Golf Course at Izatys and has Wahkon city council approval to hook into that town's sewer system.
The Garrison entertainment and dining scene is heating up. The Blue Goose just underwent a massive makeover. The Y Store/Wit's end is being remodeled into a supper club, we are told. Calls to the Y Club went unanswered Friday. Garrison Creek Marina is open and a place Make It Mille Lacs will soon be visiting. It ties together a marina, 9-hole golf course and a sports bar on the lake.
We have been told by one of the owners of Higbee's Golf Course that a potential new owner from the Sartell/St. Stephen area may be in the works. That transfer of the property could take some time, due to mitigating circumstances, possibly delaying the opening of the course, the source said. That would leave Fiddlestix of Isle and Izaty's Blackbrook Golf Course as the two remaining south shore courses.
February is Mille Lacs Lake Winterfest
Superbowl weekend starts the roll Feb 4-7th. KJ's Ice fishing hosts a big blast at Izatys on Saturday, Feb. 5th. The Superbowl finds every establishment around the Big Pond rolling out specials to feature the game on the 6th. The Minnesota Vikings, riding Arctic Cat sleds, blast across the frozen tundra as part of the 16th annual Arctic Blast Feb. 12-13. There is also a Candlelight Cross Country Ski Event on Feb. 12th at Kathio State Park that is truly majestic. Garrison's Feb. 19 Ducks Umlimited Ice Fishing Tournament is the big draw for the the weekend of Feb. 19-20. Then it's busy again Feb. 26-27th as the ever popular Perch Extravaganza is hosted out of Nitti's Hunters Point on February 26th. On the northwest side, Garrison hosts its Ice Racing Bonanza Weekend, complete with sleds, cycles, wheelers, cars and vintage snowmobiles all weekend. Winterfest, Mille Lacs style!
Posted by mwehking
January 12th, 2011 at 11:44am
under Events
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Register for Vikings Arctic Blast
See and visit with current and former Viking players, cheerleaders and a few team execs when you attend Arctic Blast XVI on majestic Mille Lacs Lake, February 12-13, 2011.
We'll update you with names of current and former players attending when the Vikings provide us the list. The team has helped raise more than a million dollars for the Vikings Children's Fund with this event. This is a great Mille Lacs-area family event!
Hundreds of sledders are expected to accompany the Viking entourage. The Purple will ride Arctic Cat snowmobiles throughout the scenic trail network in and around Garrison, Malmo and Isle. The four Blast Points are: Blue Goose Inn (Garrison), Castaways Bar and Restaurant (Malmo), Nitti's Hunter's Point (Isle) and Buzzie's on the Bay (Isle). Riders will need two stamps to qualify for more than $30,000 in prizes to be given away at Sunday's Grand Casino Events and Convention Center.
With a paid registration, you will receive a prize drawing ticket when you check in to a minimum of two Blast Points. The prize ticket makes you eligible for the thousands of dollars in prizes awarded at the Sunday Prize Party held at Grand Casino Mille Lacs Events and Convention Center.
No snowmobile? No problem! With your paid registration, feel free to use the Mille Lacs Trail and Drift Skippers Snowmobile Club's courtesy shuttle around the lake. Shuttle schedule with times of departures and arrivals to blast points will be posted on vikings.com in late January / early February. The schedule will also be posted at all Blast Points the day of the event.
The event provides premier visability to the Mille Lacs Lake area. It can also help galvanize the community, according to Bob Schlichte, director of strategic relationships for Grand Casino Mille Lacs/Hinckley. Schlichte has had a role in the last 11 Arctic Blast events. He was quick to praise Pat Leopold, Viking Children's Fund director, who plans and helps facilitate the event. The number of Blast Points has been reduced recently, prompting people to ask why?
"We used to have six blast points but I think the recession may have taken one oe two down," Schlichte said. "We used to have Eddy's as a starting point but because it was non-alcoholic we didn't see people coming back (to the point). Bayview is far southwest of the other Blast Points and I think it kind of made things tougher."
For more info and to register, visit vikings.com.
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Posted by mwehking
January 05th, 2011 at 07:10am
under Mille Lacs Ice Fishing
ISLE -- Darwin Bickford came north for vacation this winter.
The 75-year old Arkansan drove 735 miles in a day and half, arriving at Mille Lacs lake Tuesday.
He joined son, Jay, and grandson, Steven, as part of a three-generation ice fishing adventure out of Hunter Winfield’s.
It was a 48-hour fishing package -- a Christmas gift that Darwin won't soon forget.
“This is the way to fish, " said Darwin, dressed down and pointing to the stove, TV, pizza maker, cabinets, bunks and carpeted floor in this Hunter Winfield's wheel house. "I told my friend back home that I wouldn’t be out on the ice freezing to death. I told her I’d be indoors, with a TV, and a privy and everything.”
In his first minutes with a line in the water, the elder Bickford had small perch tugging and the line. He brought one up, laughing and tugging it out of the hole as it flipped off the line and onto the carpeted floor.
"This is fun," Darwin said. "And I'm hoping for those walleye to come out tonight." With a bright sun shining and no wind, Tuesday was perfect on Mille Lacs.
Then again, everyday can get close to perfect on the Big Pond. Rent a nice ice house. Get a guide like Dave Eckstrom, Hunter Winfield’s manager, to put you on fish. And you're in paradise.
To book your ice house visit Mille Lacs Tourism's fish house rentals
