The city of Bessemer is putting public/private partnership into action to help sponsor a valuable economic development tool to help in the community’s placemaking efforts.
City officials want to promote Bessemer with a promotional video to be featured on a series narrated by sports commentator Terry Bradshaw that would air in various markets around the country.
The city needs to raise $19,800 for the production, which would appear on “Rediscover America” in 19 regional airings on various ABC and Fox stations, in a segment called “Best Places to Live, Work and Play.” The city would own the video after it has aired and could then use it for further promotion.
The city council has approved spending $10,000 on the project and is reaching out to various community organizations and businesses for help with the balance.
Bessemer’s placemaking video initiative includes a questionnaire sent out to officials asking about the city’s challenges and opportunities, what key message the show should convey to viewers, and the best locations and subjects to interview.
The city is also looking to tie into the state’s Pure Michigan campaign via its “Wilds of Michigan” theme (www.wildsofmichigan.com) which features the Porcupine Mountains and the old growth forests of the Ottawa National Forest among other Upper Peninsula attractions.
Bessemer City Manager Michael Uskiewicz has said that the region has long promoted outdoor recreation but this new initiative will be more focused, consistent and visible.
786e9d18-ed93-497a-b2d3-8ff6d91518cc|1|5.0
