In the eyes of many observers in Duluth’s marketing and business communities, about the only decision worse than awarding a valuable contract to a Twin Cities firm to help lure tourists to Duluth — is to propose awarding it to an out-of-state firm.
The recent decision of Duluth’s city administration to recommend that the city award the two-year, $3.6 million contract to Madden Media, a tourism marketing agency based in Tucson, Ariz., has sparked a backlash for passing up several firms with a Duluth presence.
The Duluth City Council is poised to vote on the recommendation at its meeting tonight.
The controversy comes about three years after former Mayor Emily Larson came under fire for moving the city’s tourism promotion contract to…
