WEST ALLIS, Wis. — The 83rd Annual Milwaukee Sports Show, hosted by the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, not only helps outdoor enthusiasts connect with the latest in the industry, but it also allows businesses that struggled during the mild winter a chance to reset.
Jim Orlowski owns Pine Acres Resort in Crivitz, which is about 60 miles north of Green Bay.
He said the warmer weather has made it tougher than usual to land bookings.
“It was definitely slow this year," said Orlowski. "We only had like two weeks of snowmobiling. We are on the Iron Snowshoe Trail and that goes into Oconto County and Marinette County. It was a pretty short season."
That’s why Orlowski wanted to come to the Milwaukee Sports Show, to promote his resort for the spring and summer months.
“One of the biggest things is that you gotta keep your hand on the pulse," said Orlowski. "We have been in it for 45 years and you gotta be willing to change and change with the times.”
Dan Small hosts the Outdoor Wisconsin TV and radio show.
He said the sports show is a great opportunity to not only hear from fans, but also get a better understanding of what’s happening in the outdoor recreation industry.
“The snowmobile industry has really been suffering. A friend of mine is a part owner of a snowmobile track up in Eagle River and they had to postpone one of their races because it wasn’t cold enough for the track to freeze,” said Small.
Organizers of the Milwaukee Sports Show said this event can also help businesses plan for the future.
“You can come down and physically talk to them if you are going to look for a fishing trip or if you are going to look for a hunting expedition," said Stephen Buzza, Milwaukee Sports Show event director. "The cool thing about the people here is that what they get back in return from the guest is the exact same thing. They need more business because of maybe a dull winter and they have to get up for that and plan accordingly.”
For Orwloski, that means highlighting the beauty of the area near the pine acres resort.
“We are on the High Falls Flowage that’s six miles long. It’s a big fishing area," said Orlowski. "All of the flowages in the area are connected by the Peshtigo River. Fishing, boating and pontooning is big.”
Orlowski also said his goal is to promote a traditional Wisconsin resort vacation, but depending on the weather he can always switch gears; adapting for weather has been crucial for many businesses this winter.
The Milwaukee Sports Show continues this weekend from 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. on Saturday and 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. on Sunday at the Wisconsin State Fair Park.