Wisconsinites account for majority of tourism in Wisconsin (Milwaukee: real estate, home)

[mmcgirk3]

I was recently up visiting friends in Wisconsin (from the Chicago/Lake County IL area) On the way back, I stopped into a favorite coffee shop near Milwaukee a little off I-94 and... BOY did I walk into a blazin' Illinois/Wisconsin argument!

There was a middle age guy (he said he was from Illinois) sitting at a table with his little laptop and his latte rambling on to the coffee shop owner and some local patrons about how "Wisconsin's economy wouldn't exist without us. Illinois people are the only ones keeping this damn state going with tourism!" I'm not really sure what sparked the conversation all I know is that it was a little escalated by the time I entered the shop.
He kept spouting off in a condescending manner and eventually I had to interject, because being from Illinois myself I was a little mad and offended that this ASSHAT was in there acting as if he represented Illinois, offending the locals with his misinformation.

I told him what I knew (part of my job is statistics) that the majority of tourism in Wisconsin is still largely done by Wisconsinites (roughly 70%) Illinois residents account for about 18%. Followed by Minnesota, Michigan, Iowa, etc. So I said this to the guy, and he jumped down my throat-probably thinking that I was a "local" and that I was merely defending my state. He then says to us that "Illinois owns upper Wisconsin" Well this really drew some sighs and some uhgs. The owner of the shop asked him with a grin what he owns in upper Wisconsin? The guy says he shares a camper and goes up 5 times a year. Oh boy.

Now then, I know that there are alot of Illinois landowners in upper Wisconsin, but I also realize-as this clown obviously doesn't- that they live there for two reasons...A) Our home state of Illinois ain't all that hot when it comes to natural resources and B) land is relatively cheap up there and it's pretty! So it's a mutual thing, in most rational peoples eyes. For a price, we flatlanders can share in the beauty and fun of Wisconsin....not come up to trash talk the locals and leave a giant mess. When I go up, I remember to check my attitude at the state line. I would expect the same of Wisconinites who come to Ilinois.

I live in Lake County, IL currently for an Illinois company (though that's about to change) and I rely on Wisconsin folks for many sales. I do alot of my shopping in Wisconsin because it helps my wife and I budget. And I know a ton of clients who spend money in Chicago who live in Wisconsin. So, Mr. Laptop, when you open your big mouth about how we are propping up our neighbors, just remember that it works both ways.

[JBoughton]

Mr Lap Top sounds like a textbook example of a FIB. Don't mean to offend...

[mmcgirk3]

No offense taken I don't know that he is typical though. I do know that as a "fib", I am very atypical in my thinking. It's hard to find mutual respect in the world today. No matter what the situation was, he should not be acting EVER as if Wisconisnites should kiss his ass because he's from Illinois. That's just rude and if it had been another setting (not a "relaxing" coffee shop) I would not have blamed the owner kicked the guy out.
I am up in Milwaukee alot for work, and I am up north to fish once in a while. I see this weird attitude by people on both sides. I don't think it's a jealosy or socioeconomic thing, because alot of Illinois people who go up to Wisconsin are not rich. They live in an area like me, where the cost of living is alot higher than Wisconsin but the average salary is only 5% higher. We take cheap vacations to Wisconsin. It's many times not some rich prick from Chicago who runs off at the mouth, but rahter a Chicago sports fan with an inferiority complex about who knows what? 100 years of Cubs futility? Bears not as many titles as the Packers? Who knows.
What I can't stand is people who buy/build property that they barely use and then post signs. Sportsmen like me and the locals in Wisconsin are left with fewer options and for what? So what if it raises real estate values? There is alot more to life than that.

[JBoughton]

Originally Posted by mmcgirk3

No offense taken I don't know that he is typical though. I do know that as a "fib", I am very atypical in my thinking. It's hard to find mutual respect in the world today. No matter what the situation was, he should not be acting EVER as if Wisconisnites should kiss his ass because he's from Illinois. That's just rude and if it had been another setting (not a "relaxing" coffee shop) I would not have blamed the owner kicked the guy out.
I am up in Milwaukee alot for work, and I am up north to fish once in a while. I see this weird attitude by people on both sides. I don't think it's a jealosy or socioeconomic thing, because alot of Illinois people who go up to Wisconsin are not rich. They live in an area like me, where the cost of living is alot higher than Wisconsin but the average salary is only 5% higher. We take cheap vacations to Wisconsin. It's many times not some rich prick from Chicago who runs off at the mouth, but rahter a Chicago sports fan with an inferiority complex about who knows what? 100 years of Cubs futility? Bears not as many titles as the Packers? Who knows.
What I can't stand is people who buy/build property that they barely use and then post signs. Sportsmen like me and the locals in Wisconsin are left with fewer options and for what? So what if it raises real estate values? There is alot more to life than that.

Hey, I live just over the line in Iowa so I guess I'm a FIB of a different sort!

[mmcgirk3]

Freakin' Iowa Baggers! just kidding

[ccjarider]

People are people. Doesn't matter much where they are from.
There are great people who happen to live in IL and A-holes who live in WI and visa versa.

Wife and I are lifelong WI people who happen to live in IL right now.

Grew up in a part of WI where lot's of tourists came. Never understood the "I hate IL people" thing.

The coffee shop guy sounds like a person who enjoys useless arguing for the "entertainment value" it brings.