Morning Edition

MN resort owner feels pandemic’s economic effects: ‘Tourism is pretty much all there is up here’

Minnesota’s walleye season opener is just weeks away, and for many, it’s a sign that summer is coming. But there is growing anxiety among resort owners that this year, vacationers won’t come.

That could be because stay-at-home restrictions end up extended beyond May 4, when they’re currently set to expire — or it could be because people don’t have the money or are worried about making the trip.

It was a bad ice fishing season this year in many areas of northern Minnesota, and now resorts are wondering whether they’ll be able to weather this crisis as well.

For more, MPR News host Cathy Wurzer spoke with Rick Leonhardt. He runs High Banks Resort on Lake Winnibigoshish.