THANK YOU CADILLAC!

THE NEFF ZONE -- BY JIM NEFF

CADILLAC NEWS -- NOVEMBER 1, 2025

The KISS Cadillac 50th Reunion is now in the KISStory books. It will go down as yet another touchstone in this incredible story that seems to live on forever. The saga spans all walks of life and all generations and has become legendary in the annals of rock and roll. 

During the event, I received a lot of accolades. Being awarded the key to the City of Cadillac was overwhelming (to say the least). A “thank you” is simply not sufficient to express my gratitude. In truth, I have never been alone during this journey. 

There are so many people to thank it would fill several editions of the Cadillac News. That said, there are some folks that did the heavy lifting for the event and that allowed me to focus on the fun stuff. The staff at the Cadillac Area Visitors Bureau, led by Lindsey Westdorp and Marci Hensley, worked tirelessly before and during (plus now after) the event. Cori Lindell-Denman at the Cadillac Area Public Schools led a team that put together an awesome game day experience. Videographer Mark Boardman spent countless hours creating the definitive KISS Cadillac story. KISS collector Rich Edwards and the museum staff put together an exhibit for the ages.

I could go on and on, but I might leave someone out and that would be a travesty. So, let me say this. I may have had a part in this operation, but the real star of the show was (and is) Cadillac. You were amazing! Every citizen and participating business rolled out the red carpet. You don't generate smiling visitors by accident. 

A message sent to me by a fan is pretty typical of what happened. “We are on our way out of town.  Just wanted to take a moment to say what an incredible weekend we had here in your wonderful town.  We met so many warm and friendly locals.  Cadillac is a wonderful community and we feel blessed to have been here for the 50th anniversary festivities.” 

Another visitor wrote: “We were so impressed with all the celebration activities.  It was obvious to us that much planning and thought had gone into every event.  We loved our time in Cadillac. It’s a fantastic story and a wonderful community.” 

When all the numbers are tallied, the KISS Cadillac 50th Reunion could very well set some records for local businesses. It was pretty easy to see all the people in town and all the commerce taking place. However, something not so noticeable has been going on for fifty years. Visitors may have come for KISS, but they discovered Cadillac. 

I call this phenomena the stealth economy. It's obvious when a full tour bus or a big vacation group rolls into town, but it's not so apparent when people come here two at a time or in families. They spend money on things like lodging, meals, and  shopping. All of this is not done by a crowd in one big swoop, but it's continuous and steady. It's an economy that sneaks by you, but it's there. A comment I heard all weekend was: “We'll be back.” 

By being so welcoming to visitors, you Cadillicans have accomplished something else. Do you realize how many thousands of photos of Cadillac were taken over the KISS 50 weekend? Now add in all the YouTube videos, podcasts, and news reports that were (and are) being circulated. Virtually every one of these portray Cadillac in a favorable light. Cadillac's allure has gone world wide. This, in real terms, is positive publicity worth (maybe) millions of dollars in free advertising. You did that!

All during this, I kept remembering the words of two great friends. John Laurent (CHS Principal in 1975) said: “I've been trying to get the the student body together for years. KISS did that in one day.” Head Coach Milo (Dave) Brines  quipped: “This is either going to be the greatest thing in Cadillac football history or we'll both be looking for jobs on Monday.” Both statements proved to be true. 

In a previous column, I told you that everyone had a job to do for KISS 50. For locals, I said your job was to have as much fun as possible. From my perspective, you did that. Mission accomplished.

Finally, I think a quote from Paul Stanley is appropriate here. At the end of a concert, he would thank the crowd and show the band's appreciation for their fans. "You've been a dynamite audience and you deserve to give yourself a round of applause.”

Jim Neff is a local columnist. Read Neff Zone columns online at CadillacNews.com and NeffZone.com/cadillacnews.