Don't forget, The Weirs does not exist in a vacuum. You want to attract $50,000 weddings, you compete with Meredith, concerts you have Meadowbrook, for arcades you have funspot, quaint downtown shopping you have Wolfeboro. Plus The Weirs and Laconia are too big to go small like Alton or Center Harbor. I'm pro-casino on libertarian grounds, but I think the ship has sailed on casinos single-handedly transforming an area.
The Weirs has the beach, the boardwalk, the train, the Mount, the Pier, Bike Week, the Drive-in, some small shops and arcades. Yes, some are not in their former glory, but it's a start to build on. To paraphrase Lee Iacocca, Laconia needs to lead, follow or get out of the way.
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