Marina Merger

Two longtime Huron marinas recently tied the knot, helping to preserve and even empower both landmark community boating facilities.Management at Huron Lagoons Marina purchased Holiday Harbor Marina for an undisclosed amount. Former Holiday Harbor Marina owners Robert Jr. and Donna Lieblein decided to retire and sell off their property. Ed Koontz started Holiday Harbor Marina in the late 1950s.But fear not, boaters docking at Holiday Harbor.In reference to Holiday Harbor, Huron Lagoons management vowed to:•Keep the marina open. Both marinas will remain separate entities, with Huron Lagoons management overseeing each of them.•Maintain the roughly 210 docks. q Retain the six or so full-time employees on payroll and staff other part-time help when needed.•Hold off on increasing any fees for this year or the near future. "This marina stays with Huronites, the former owners were Huronites, we're Huronites and it keeps everything local," said Tom Solberg Jr., Huron Lagoons Marina's service manager.Acquiring Holiday Harbor also allows Huron Lagoons to grow."It was time for us to expand," said Thomas Solberg, one of Huron Lagoons Marina's principal owners. "We are full, and rather than building more docks, we bought more docks. We can't put more docks here because of wetland restrictions, and they have more open land"Both marinas offer alluring amenities for boaters.At Huron Lagoons, each dock comes complete with a grassy area, where people can lounge or have a picnic near their boats. The seasonal marina also offers a restaurant, swimming pool and yacht club.At Holiday Harbor, people can essentially drive up right next to their docks instead of parking far away, which means they avoid lugging their boating equipment great distances. The marina also offers a swimming pool.Both marinas provide brokerage services, fuel sales, pump-out facilities and a 20-ton lift. Each is also distinguished as an Ohio Clean Marina.Register photo/ANGELA WILHELM Boats remain under wraps in the chill of February at Huron Lagoons Marina Wednesday.