I recently posted this on another discussion and decided it would be best on its own board.
I have some real problems with the Shoals Area trying to become a tourist attraction or a retirement community.
I left the Shoals in 2004 to go to school at UAH in Huntsville. I am just about to graduate next month, and I am dying to come back to the area to live, but I am having a terrible time trying to find decent job opportunities over there. Frankly, there are none. There's a manager position open at Arby's. Thats definately not what I went to college to be. Would you like curly fries?
My concern is for all of those of my generation. If all of the effort is placed into turning the area into a "tourist attraction" or a "retirement community" (which in my opinion will eventually seal the economic coffin of the Shoals), what will the rest of us do for work? All of my friends that were intelligent enough to go off to college have left and probably won't be coming back. And how could they? There are no jobs. Maybe the powers that be are banking they'll come back...when its time to retire.
Now, to all those that have worked hard to market this area as a retirement community or tourist trap, WHO THE HECK WANTED THAT!?!?! I have heard NONE of the citizens there ever say, "You know what we need? A golf course!" But you will not have to go very far to find someone searching for employment.
What we need are JOBS, INDUSTRY, and COMPANIES, not GOLF COURSES, BIG UGLY HOTELS, and RESTAURANTS ON A STICK.
In closing, I love the Shoals, and I want to come back, but there are some real idiots running the place. And so until somebody gets a clue, I'm stuck in Huntsville, where someone has apparently figured out how to improve the job market, instead of dousing it with cold water.
Original Post