DULUTH, (AP) - Duluth Mayor Don Ness has a vision for revitalizing the western part of his city through tourism and residential development, taking advantage of its location on the St. Louis River.

Ness wants to invest up to $18 million in providing better canoe and boat access to the river, expanding biking and hiking trails, and upgrading parks and tourist attractions like the Spirit Mountain ski area and the Lake Superior Zoo.

The mayor says it would bring hundreds of thousands of new visitors to Duluth, and hundreds of young families would buy homes in the area to take advantage of the new recreational opportunities.

His vision is possible because of efforts over the past several decades to clean up the St. Louis River, but challenges remain.

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