Marquette

Nestled along the shores of Lake Superior, Marquette, Michigan, is a vibrant city that combines quintessential Pure Michigan beauty and recreational adventure with a thriving downtown scene and exciting investments.

As the Upper Peninsula’s largest city, Marquette has so much to offer to its residents, visitors and businesses large and small looking to Make It in Michigan.

Learn more about how the Michigan Economic Development Corporation is championing this “Queen City of the North” through its investment in the people, downtown community and outdoor splendors of Marquette.

MEDC Impact in Marquette

The MEDC has supported transformational projects throughout the Marquette community, contributing to the area’s economic vitality and growth and bringing to life many of the businesses and amenities that define this community today.

In July 2023, Ore Dock Real Estate, LLC announced plans to construct and rehabilitate a mixed-use development located at 214 Front Street in downtown Marquette, adding residential units in addition to an expansion for Ore Dock Brewery. The beer garden, expanded patio and community space will spur additional investment and visitors downtown.

The City of Marquette Brownfield Redevelopment Authority received Michigan Strategic Fund (MSF) approval of state tax capture valued at $352,605 to be used for the reimbursement of brownfield activities at the site. Ore Dock Brewery is also an awardee of MEDC Match on Main and Revitalization And Placemaking funding to help support the project.

Marquette-based businesses are also receiving support from the MEDC to continue their growth in the state. Headquartered in Marquette, Able Medical Devices has been in operation since 2018 as a contract manufacturer of medical device implant and instruments. The company announced in October 2024 that it would be expanding its operations with a new 30,000-square-foot manufacturing facility with the support of a $500,000 Michigan Business Development Program grant from the MSF Board. The expansion is expected to create 40 new jobs and generate nearly $13 million in capital investment, further solidifying the company’s presence in the U.P. and building on the state’s leadership in the medical device industry.

The Marquette community has also experienced transformational placemaking efforts through MEDC initiatives such as Public Spaces Community Places (PSCP), a crowdfunding program that provides matching grant funds for crowdfunded public space projects across the state. Launched in 2014, the PSCP program has supported over 400 projects with over $13.6 million in matched funds from the MEDC.

One of the first PSCP program crowdfunding campaigns, the Marquette Skatepark project raised $12,470 in September 2014 and received a $10,000 match from the MEDC. Funds went toward landscaping, benches, and skate-able art, further enhancing the Marquette Area Skate Plaza that opened after eight years of work by the community and over $200,000 from individuals, corporations, foundations, and the city. The Skatepark project has provided a gathering place for people of all ages in the Marquette area to enjoy.

Supporting Marquette’s Small Businesses

In addition to larger-scale projects and investments, the MEDC has an impact on small businesses in the Marquette area. Whether providing resources through Small Business Support Hubs to funding from the Match on Main program, the MEDC works to see small businesses succeed.

In November 2023, Governor Whitmer announced $73 million in funding for Small Business Support Hubs across Michigan. These entrepreneurial hubs provide comprehensive resources and support to the state’s small businesses. Among the awardees for Region 1,  Lake Superior Community Partnership has provided support to its business community in Marquette County for 25 years. With 95 percent of businesses in Marquette County classified as small businesses, the $3 million in funding from the Small Business Support Hubs program will ensure they can continue to support the small business ecosystem in the U.P.

Meanwhile, the Match on Main program is a reimbursement grant program that supports new or expanding place-based businesses by offering up to $25,000 in funding. In recent years, the MEDC has provided $25,000 to several Marquette small businesses, including beverage producer Superior Culture, Great Northern Title & Abstract and Velodrome Coffee Company.

Marquette small businesses like dairy-free cheese producer RADD Foods have also received MEDC support through State Small Business Credit Initiative (SSBCI) loan guarantee support. In November 2024, this support went toward start-up operating costs such as nationwide distributor set-up, trade show registration fees, travel expenses, sample products, McCormick licensing fees and inventory.

Meet the Unofficial Ambassador of the Upper Peninsula

As a prolific photographer of Michigan sunrises, Bugsy Sailor is spreading his love of the U.P. across the state and the globe.

From his Year of the Sunrise project that began as a resolution on New Year’s Day 2019 and continues to this day, to founding unique events like 906 Day, Plaidurday and the Fresh Coast Film Festival, Bugsy celebrates the things that set Michigan – and the U.P. in particular – apart from anywhere else.

Each day, Bugsy continues to be inspired by his Marquette surroundings and creates opportunities for connection within the U.P. community and beyond. His small business, the U.P. Supply Co. in downtown Marquette, allows residents and visitors alike to embrace a piece of the U.P.

A Talent Base Like None Other

Northern Michigan is home to higher education institutions building that next generation of talent, particularly in the areas of engineering and cybersecurity. The Upper Peninsula Cybersecurity Institute (UPCI) at Northern Michigan University (NMU) in Marquette is the only facility of its kind in the U.P. and one of six statewide, offering non-degree and industry credentials relevant to emerging careers in cybersecurity.

It also comes as no surprise that NMU grads are continuing to make a difference in the state after graduation, particularly when it comes to outdoor recreation.

As general manager of the Snowriver Mountain Resort in the western reaches of Michigan’s Upper Peninsula, Benjamin Bartz has turned his life-long love for the great outdoors into a thriving career. While Bartz joined the staff of Snowriver in 2022, he is no stranger to the U.P. He graduated from NMU with a degree in Ski Area Business Management and worked as a mountain operations manager at Giants Ridge in Minnesota before returning to the area where he first learned how to ski. Read more about Benjamin Bartz in his Voices of Michigan story.

Meanwhile, Michigan Ice Fest organizer Bill Thompson attended NMU for both his undergraduate and graduate degrees in outdoor recreation. As an event organizer for the annual ice climbing festival – the country’s second-largest gathering of ice climbers – Thompson draws upon his experiences in Marquette and celebrates the splendors of the U.P. Read more about Bill Thompson in his Voices of Michigan story.

What Makes Marquette Superior

Situated on the shores of Lake Superior, Marquette is uniquely positioned for residents and visitors alike to enjoy the world’s largest freshwater lake and its natural surroundings.

Marquette offers a number of activities, from hiking Hogback Mountain peak and visiting historic lighthouses and museums to seeing the Black Rocks at Presque Isle Park.

A unique event that draws thousands of visitors to Marquette is the UP 200, one of the premier sled dog races in the Midwest and a signature winter event in Michigan’s Upper Peninsula. Held annually, the race is a 230-mile journey through the rugged and snowy terrain, kicking off in downtown Marquette.

From the very first race in 1990 to the event’s triumphant return in 2025 after a two-year hiatus due to trail conditions, the UP 200 is a marquee event for the entire Marquette community, celebrating the terrain, teamwork and grit of the U.P.