GREENVILLE, Maine — A new marketing effort for the Moosehead Lake Region has pronounced the area "America's Crown Jewel."
The project, unveiled Friday in Greenville, is the result of a seven month initiative to bolster the region's economic prospects by creating a viable brand for a region of the state plagued by population loss and a slack economy.
"The brand promise, that is who you aspire to be," says Roger Brooks, a tourism consultant tapped by the Moosehead Lake Region Economic Development Corporation. "You already have the jewel. We've just got to make sure that when people come here to experience it, that it makes them want to live here and start a business here. That is the ultimate goal."
Attracting young families is especially urgent, says Brooks; the size of each graduating class from Greenville's school system has steadily dwindled since the late 1960's. More business development and employment opportunities are needed to attract younger residents, says Brooks, and strengthening tourist revenue is an important path to take.
According to the branding report, the 75,000-acre lake, Maine's largest, is already appealing to visitors, along with the nearby Longfellow Mountains. But a very short summer season, a lack of shoulder season development, and a dearth of support businesses mean the region isn't reaping the full benefits.
A spokesperson from the Moosehead Lake Region Economic Development Corporation says the next step in the process is the creation of a Branding and Marketing Action Plan, which the group plans to roll out this summer.
