Region is big winner in beauty

Region is big winner in beauty contest

Congratulations to Susan Leica and Ujaneé Wells. They were crowned Michigan USA and Miss Michigan Teen USA on Saturday at McMorran Auditorium. They will compete for the titles of Miss USA and Miss Teen USA.

Congratulations to Port Huron and the Blue Water Area for attracting and keeping the pageant.

About 100 young women were at McMor,mran competing in the scholarship pageant Friday and Saturday. The winners were the women and teens who showed poise, intelligence, grace and beauty  and those area businesses who served the more than 1,200 visitors the pageant brought to Port Huron each day of the event.

Our hotels are full, Marci Fogal, executive director of the Blue Water Convention and Visitors Bureau, said. These families are eating in our restaurants and shopping our retail.

Those visitors come from across the state of Michigan, and Fogal says they leave with good impressions of the area.

That would likely happen no matter where the pageant is held  at McMorran Auditorium or the new Blue Water Convention Center. Like some of the events that have already moved from McMorran to the convention center, we would not be surprised if the pageant ended up on the waterfront.

If that keeps the pageant in Port Huron, so be it. Its economic impact remains in the area, although the exact recipients of those visitor dollars would likely change if the show were moved out of downtown Port Huron. While the convention center is certainly big enough to contain the pageant, the Hilton and Freighters arent enough to contain the spinoff business, which is sure to spread to downtown and beyond.

But the rising tide doesnt raise all boats.

Moving the pageant or any events from McMorran to the convention center takes money away from the city of Port Huron and gives it to the county. When McMorran sits empty, city taxpayers are liable for the civic centers overhead. Theyre also liable for the convention centers operating shortfalls, while the opposite isnt true  county taxpayers outside the city dont contribute to McMorrans costs.

Perhaps it is time for that to change.

In the meanwhile, the city and county must keep on eye on SMG to ensure it fulfills its obligations to both facilities.