MUSKEGON, Mich. — After more than two years of holding meetings with the city, state, and public, Ryan and Dr. Emily Leestma grabbed shovels and broke ground at Adelaide Point on Monday, which they hope to transform into a recreational hub that everyone can enjoy.
“I didn’t know if people were going to be a little bit weary because of this beautiful spring weather that we’ve gotten,” Emily said sarcastically during an interview with FOX 17. “But I’m super happy that everyone still came out.”
The Leestmas were joined by several others, including Congresswoman Hillary Scholten, Muskegon Mayor Kenneth Johnson, and Sheriff Michael Poulin, who all braved the high winds and cold temperatures for the groundbreaking. They all stood next to each other and dug their silver shovels into the sand simultaneously as the onlooking crowd cheered.
HAPPENING NOW: Adelaide Pointe Groundbreaking in Muskegon.
— Lauren Edwards (@LaurenEdwardsTV) May 1, 2023
Congresswoman Hillary Scholten speaks on $250,000,000 project that’ll bring commerce to the area, she says. // @FOX17 pic.twitter.com/mHP8nQ8RUN
“I think that there’s a lot of skepticism towards capitalists and you know developers is kind of a dirty word to some people. Nobody wants to feel like they’re excluded from something that they want to participate in,” Ryan Leestma said. “We are very sincere about it. Like I said on stage, you know, it changed my life for the better tremendously.”
Ryan shared on stage that when he first came to Muskegon years ago, from the Chicago area, he was told never to go to the city. However, when he arrived alongside his father, he fell in love with the water. Now, he wants to give everyone the opportunity to love it.
“We’re serious about it,” Ryan said. “It’s a community, not just a place to live and spend money. We’re trying to build a recreation-focused community on Muskegon Lake.”
Prior to the groundbreaking, the Leestmas spoke about the $250,000,000 project, which will include 55 luxury condos, a hotel, restaurant, an event center, a marina, parks, a canoe area, and over 200 boat slips. Some of the construction will consist of timber wood, which is environmentally sound.
“This lakefront is just waiting for someone like the Leestmas to come along and develop it for use, as Ryan was saying, for people across all spectrums of income and background,” Scholten said. “That shouldn’t be a barrier. So, having something like this [that’s] accessible right here in Muskegon is going to be a real game-changer.”
Scholten said she believes the project will revitalize the area and bring more commerce and increased foot traffic to Muskegon.
Emily agreed. She said in the coming weeks they’ll break ground on the condos so that people can begin to move in in 2024. Then construction on the marina and event center will be next, and the hotel should be open for business in 2025.
“I always say Ryan and I are not really developers. We’re just members of the community that wanted to do this project,” Ryan said. “This is our first development. We just wanted to make a little bit of a mark on Muskegon.”
