![Cities Seek to Boost Tourism Near Lake Minnetonka](http://townsquare.media/site/67/files/2010/12/minnesota_news_blue.jpg?w=980&q=75)
Cities Seek to Boost Tourism Near Lake Minnetonka
WAYZATA, Minn. (AP) - Leaders of cities along Lake Minnetonka are hoping to boost tourism by rebranding the area as a year-round regional destination.
Reports say officials from 14 lake cities will gather this month to discuss creating a scenic byway around the lake. New restaurants are already in the works and construction is expected to start this summer on a boutique hotel.
Wayzata Mayor Ken Willcox says people know Lake Minnetonka but not the surrounding communities.
Tentative plans call for new bike lanes, temporary boat slips and a food vendor.
Not everyone wants to see expansion. Critics say there are already enough lake visitors, and further expansion will erode the small-town character.
Lake Minnetonka has 42 bays and 125 miles of shoreline.
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