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Marinas Try To Stay Afloat After Summer Business Leaves

LOWELL [KFSM] – The holiday weekend brought hundreds of people out to Beaver Lake— and with those boaters, came business. The Prairie Creek Marina i...

LOWELL [KFSM] - The holiday weekend brought hundreds of people out to Beaver Lake--- and with those boaters, came business.

The Prairie Creek Marina in Rogers had every parking space and boat slip full on Sunday.

"People were in and out constantly," Manager Michael Holycross said, "You can definitely tell there's a lot more foot traffic for sure."

Holycross has worked at the marina for the past four years. He said every year the lake becomes more and more busy.

"I think people enjoy the lake a whole lot more than say 5 years, but compared to other summers I would say this one was definitely busier," He said.

Once Labor Day passes the boating season is essentially over, but some people may not know the marinas are open year around. Susan Whitehouse is the co-owner of Hickory Creek Fish and Ski Center in Lowell. Whitehouse said business comes to a halt after the holiday.

"Our season starts the first of March, April really gets rounded up, and Memorial Day we're going...and then we go to Labor Day and it just stops," Whitehouse said.

Susan and her husband Mike said their main source of income during the winter months are their boat slips. Their marina has 160 slips that have year-long leases. Whitehouse said the marina is open 362 days a year, but once Labor Day passes the competition for business is stiff.

"There's a lot of sports that children are involved in, plus the Razorbacks and just a lot of other family activities going on," Whitehouse said.

She said the majority of the business from October to March comes from fishermen. Whitehouse said in the off season this year they are upgrading one of their docks and adding 12 more boat slips.

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