Recently, Massena, New York, looked at Dayton, Tennessee. Specifically, the town looked at Dayton's fishing tournaments.
Dayton hosts around 30 bass fishing tournaments every year. Massena believes it can do the same.
Why the interest? Massena has lost a lot of jobs when the local General Motors plant closed.
Officials think fishing tournaments on the Sr. Lawrence River could infuse some money into the local economy.
"People love to fish, they spend a lot of money fishing, they travel to fish," says Massena Town Supervisor Joe Gray.
Dayton's tournaments resulted in hotels and restaurants opening, plus an increase in sales, lodging, and property taxes.
Massena is already working toward its goal. The town already hosted two tourneys this year.
Work will soon proceed on its boat launch to the tune of $3 million. And Gray wants to double the town's fishing promotion dollars.
Will bass tournaments replace the jobs previously lost? No, but town officials believe they can help spur recovery.
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