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Traverse Connect | The Connection – February 26, 2026

February 27, 2026

Michigan Business Network

2025 Business Sentiment Wrap-Up

Traverse Connect conducted its final 2025 Business Growth Barometer Survey of investor and member businesses to provide a snapshot of our regional business sentiment, outlook, and current challenges. Quarterly surveys inform the organization’s strategic priorities and help it respond to the needs of the business community.

Ninety-six percent of respondents agree that the Grand Traverse region is a good place to grow their business, maintaining the positive sentiment from the summer survey. Respondents’ sentiment about an improving business environment decreased by 21 points from the third quarter of 2025 and is 24 points lower than their responses to the previous question. Traverse Connect attributes the difference to affordability concerns related to inflation and capital access costs, and to decreases in state and federal funding from fourth-quarter budgets and the clawback of work project funding from Michigan’s 2024-2025 budget.

Read the full report for Traverse Connect’s accomplishments in the last quarter of 2025 and a glimpse at Traverse Connect’s upcoming Q1 events.

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→ The Freshwater Research and Innovation Center is progressing toward a 2027 opening with an additional investment of $2M from Northwestern Michigan College from the proceeds of the sale of the Boardman Lake Campus to the Grand Traverse Band of Ottawa and Chippewa Indians.

→ Speak with Courage, Traverse Connect’s popular public speaking program led by instructor Dana Black, returns this spring! Applications open on Friday, February 27, for the April-June 2026 program.

→ Investor news! Munson Healthcare announces the opening of an Outpatient Specialty Care Clinic in Elk Rapids, providing specialists in Neurosciences and Rheumatology.

→ Come out and celebrate the achievements of Traverse Connect’s member businesses with ribbon cuttings in the coming weeks: The Great Lakes Children’s Museum and Miller, Canfield, Paddock and Stone, PLC. Meet new businesses in town and celebrate with special deals, refreshments, networking, and more!

Our midweek reading list.

→ Garfield and East Bay Townships are considering zoning updates to address and prepare for the nationwide expansion of Data Centers.

→ Michigan’s high school graduation rate reached a new high of 84% in 2025, an increase of 1.2% from 2024.

→ N orthwest Michigan Arts & Culture Network’s professional development series for the arts & culture sector is open for registration, covering topics from social media and AI to strategy and board development.

→ Consumers Energy announced the completion of nearly 2,700 reliability projects in 2025.

→ The Traverse City Downtown Development Authority kicked off its 2026-27 budget planning and announced that the new farmers market pavilion construction will begin in July, following the National Cherry Festival.

→ Enrollment at Northwestern Michigan College continues to grow, reaching a new record of 3,188 students

→ Recent business news in the region includes the announcement of a new pub & grill in Williamsburg from the owner of a popular Southeast Michigan country music club, and the long-time home of the Traverse City Record-Eagle is on the market.