The months and years of planning are about to pay off. The attention of the golf world will be locked in on Benton Harbor this week for the Senior PGA at Harbor Shores. Crowds are already starting to make their way to the area. And that's much to the delight of local businesses like Lynne Christiano. She opened up "Purely Michigan" Monday morning. And it was no coincidence that it was the same week as the golf tournament.
"When I go somewhere I always like to take something home from where I've been. They're coming here to see what we have to offer, the best of the best. And I hope we're part of that." Christiano said.
She knows like many other businesses in the area, they only have a slim margin of time to impress.
"Impressions are always important. If it's personal or professional, you've got to put your best foot forward." Christiano said.
The guys at the Livery are pushing for that first impression as well. They're located just yards from the golf course. These past two weeks, general manager, Walter Rouse and his crew have been hand prepping bratwurst and hamburgers. Getting everything ready for the PGA crowds.
"We closed down our regular menu and just have everything outside on the grill. We had a group of golfers in yesterday actually when we started our new menu and they were all just blown away that this little place is doing something like this and the whole area." Rouse said.
And it definitely is the whole area. President of the Triangle Alliance, Wendy Dant Chesser, says they started with a group of about 40 volunteers. Now there are 52 volunteers who picked up trash, planted flowers, put up signs around town, and pitched in any way possible to make Benton Harbor a picturesque place for golf tourists.
"We're finally able to take advantage of the opportunity that's here. I can't believe it's here. We're excited about making ourselves look like the best community we can. When we make a successful first impression we're going to have the opportunity to invite these people back." Dant Chesser said.
Festivities get under way tomorrow with the start of the Pro AM. And the Senior PGA starts Thursday.
