Burnside's biggest dreams are a step closer to becoming a long-awaited reality. Since 2021, the Dream Big Burnside Authority has pursued the goal of developing General Burnside Island — specifically, bringing a lodge to the property, something which has been discussed for as long as there has been a state park there. While movement has been slow, the Dream Big Burnside Authority — essentially a nine-person board created to represent the mission, working together with the Somerset-Pulaski Economic Development Authority (SPEDA) — has continued working various channels of state government.
On Wednesday, SPEDA announced that Authority members accepted a $100,000 appropriation from the state legislature for a feasibility study to guide Burnside Island's future. According to SPEDA, the study will assess the project's long-term potential, with the advice of developers, scholars, and community stakeholders. It will be conducted with five goals in mind: to describe consumer demand for the project; estimate economic impacts on the region; provide details on similar projects; estimate development costs; and identify potential funding sources and options to move forward.
It's the next step on the way to issuing a request for proposal to develop the property through a public-private partnership (P3). A fully-realized vision could include a lodge, dining, a conference center, and more. Burnside Mayor Robert Lawson has worked closely with the Authority and said the City of Burnside su.