A beach improvement project in Empire costing more than $400K is underway in Empire. The project includes new roads, sidewalks, buried utility lines, playground equipment, bathroom facilities, and a sand retention wall which some complain blocks the view of the Lake. According to tv7-4.com, local resident Alice Diggins says "I like the old prestige beach when there wasn't too many people. But times change [...] It's different and you have to adjust to change but you don't always have to like it." We agree.