A Hidden Opportunity Waiting To Take Off
November 10, 2025
A Community Built for Connection
At the southern edge of Marquette County lies a community with everything it needs to thrive, except a few of the essentials that make life convenient and welcoming. The former K.I. Sawyer Air Force Base has transformed into a growing residential and business district, home to more than 3,000 people, a regional airport, and a growing mix of industries, services, and families. Yet for all its assets, the Sawyer area remains an oasis missing key amenities: a motel for travelers, a restaurant or café, and a modern fuel station to serve both locals and visitors.
This combination, population density, business presence, and airport connectivity, makes Sawyer one of the most promising yet overlooked areas in Michigan’s Upper Peninsula for small business and commercial investment. The need is clear, the infrastructure exists, and the opportunity for smart growth is extraordinary.
Missing Pieces in a Strong Foundation
Every day, flights arrive and depart from Marquette Sawyer Regional Airport, connecting the Upper Peninsula to Detroit, Minneapolis, and beyond. Travelers land here to explore Marquette County, visit Northern Michigan University, or conduct business at the airport’s industrial park. Yet when they step outside, there’s no nearby hotel, no restaurant to grab a quick bite, and no gas station to refuel before hitting the road.
For a regional airport of this importance and for a community of Sawyer’s size, that gap is more than inconvenient; it’s a call for investment. A small motel or hotel near the airport would meet immediate traveler needs. A café or diner would serve residents and airport staff daily. A fuel station would provide a much-needed service for locals, contractors, and visitors alike. These are the simple essentials that turn a collection of neighborhoods into a self-sustaining community.
A Community Ready for Growth
The airport and surrounding township have survived since the Air Force’s departure, and the population has stabilized into a diverse and hardworking community. Sawyer boasts affordable housing, a beautiful golf course, parks, trails, and proximity to Marquette’s business corridor, but residents still drive miles for basic needs like fuel, groceries, or dining.
A strategically placed hotel, café, and fuel station near the airport or along Avenue A could instantly transform the local landscape, improving quality of life while providing sustainable revenue for both investors and the township. Sawyer is not a remote outpost; it’s a centrally located community with strong infrastructure and a regional workforce. Water, sewer, power, and broadband already exist. The industrial park houses active businesses, from aviation and maintenance to logistics and energy. The roads are built to handle traffic, and the airport draws a steady flow of visitors, yet there’s no hospitality hub to meet them.
The Business Case for Investment
For investors, this represents the kind of rare opportunity that combines low entry cost with high visibility and long-term demand. The customer base is already here: residents, contractors, airport staff, business travelers, airline crews, and outdoor enthusiasts passing through on their way to Marquette, Escanaba, or the Great Lakes shoreline. Even modest development, a small hotel with a fuel station and casual restaurant, would immediately see consistent year-round activity.
The Sawyer area benefits from steady local employment, expanding tourism, and easy access to U.S. Highway 41 and County Road 553. Unlike speculative development projects, this opportunity is grounded in real, daily demand.
An Invitation to Visionaries
Forsyth Forward invites those ready to take the next step in Marquette County’s evolution to consider Sawyer. The opportunity isn’t theoretical, it’s visible every day in the movement of planes, the flow of residents, and the unrealized potential of a community waiting for the right partners to bring it to life.
If you’re an investor, developer, or entrepreneur interested in exploring Sawyer’s next chapter, connect with Forsyth Forward.
