Billboard Campaign Calls For Pure Michigan Money

Pure Michigan supporters want $25 million to get commercials advertising the state's tourism attractions on the air for the winter and spring. State lawmakers say they support Pure Michigan but they haven't agreed on a way to pay for it.

 The Michigan Lodging and Tourism Association says Wednesday that a dozen billboards are being used on major highways around Lansing to send lawmakers a message on their way to the Capitol. The billboards read: "Hey Legislature ... Fund Pure Michigan Now!''

WWJ spoke with Steve Yencich, with the M.L.T.A., who says if Pure Michigan doesn't get support, the winter, spring and summer campaigns could be eliminated.

"We will go from being a regional campaign, marketed in over thirteen different markets, to just a handful. For all practical purposes, that's lights out for Pure Michigan, and that will force Michigan's tourism industry to become reliant , exclusively, on the Michigan resident base," Yencich said.

Billboards were donated by the Outdoor Advertising Association of Michigan.

(Copyright 2010 WWJ Radio.  All Rights Reserved. The Associated Press contributed to this report.)