Previous generations of southeastern Wisconsin residents found the time to take long, extended vacations in the state's north woods each year.
With so many two-income and single-parent households and such busy social calendars, parents are finding it more difficult today to commit to long north woods adventures, according to Kris Radish, author and spokeswoman for the new Pioneer Resort and Marina that will be built on the western shore of Lake Winnebago in Oshkosh.
"For this generation, everybody is so busy. I don't know how we got that way, but we did," Radish said. "People are just so busy, they don't want to drive five hours to Rhinelander and then come back and try to cut the grass. They don't want to maintain two homes, one here and one up north."
Busy southeastern Wisconsin residents will comprise a target market for Pioneer Resort and Marina, a $30 million, five-story condominium hotel that will be built on the existing foundation at the property.
Demolition of the existing hotel rooms at the site is scheduled for this fall, and the new units are expected to be open by the summer of 2005.
The new condo hotel will feature one- to four-bedroom units that will be completely furnished. Owners can choose to reside in the condos or rent them out to vacationers. The condo owners also will be able to divide the units, enabling them to rent parts of them out.
The new condos will cost $300,000 to $500,000.
"For years, the Pioneer has boasted the most unique island location and breathtaking lakefront views and access of any resort around," said Charlie Sullivan, vice president of hotel operations for Decade Properties, the development company that has owned and managed the Pioneer Resort and Marina for the past two years. "Now, with this redevelopment project, we will have the premier facilities and amenities to complement it, while positioning Oshkosh's Lake Winnebago as one of the state's top resort destinations."
Oshkosh is less than a two-hour drive from Milwaukee, as opposed to an all-day trip to Wisconsin's north woods.
"People will be able to just drive up to Oshkosh and relax," Radish said. "This will be the first of its kind in Wisconsin.
August 6, 2004, Small Business Times, Milwaukee, WI
