SAULT STE. MARIE — The Sault Ste. Marie Visitors and Conventions Bureau received $2 million in federal funding on Tuesday, Sept. 6.
U.S. Secretary of Commerce Gina Raimondo announced the Department’s Economic Development Administration is awarding a $2 million grant, funded by the American Rescue Plan, to the bureau to boost tourism in the area. Around $513,000 in local funds will be used to match the EDA grant, bringing the total amount of funding to over $2.5 million.
According to grantee estimates, these investments are expected to create and retain at least 50 jobs and generate around $2 million more in investments.
The investment will go towards enhancing and upgrading the Sault Ste. Marie International 500 Raceway. The raceway is home to the annual International 500 Snowmobile Race, which is one of the largest tourism attractions in the Sault area every year.
The race draws in crowds of around 15,000 each year and hosts hundreds of snowmobile riders.
The city commission applied for this grant in December 2021 at the request of the visitors bureau to help boost tourism interest in the area and allow the track to be used during all four seasons.
More:Grant aims to make I-500 grounds usable year-round
The project will include the construction of new roads, a parking lot, vendor building and other upgrades to the track area.
With this upgrade the raceway will be able to host a larger variety of events including dirt track races featuring stock cars or dirt bikes, specialty events including sponsored events by Red Bull and Nitro Circus and outdoor concerts.
One of the upgrades is the addition of a new, permanent, heated vendors building. For more than 50 years, the vendors and attendees only had temporary tents that were set up days in advance to use during the race. The new vendor building will be a permanent structure to help vendors not just during the race but throughout the year as well.
Other proposed additions include a fence around some of the racetracks, a new scoreboard, a public announcement system that can reach the entire track and an LED lighting system for the fans.
This grant comes to the city as part of the EDA's travel, tourism, and outdoor recreation program, which has awarded $510 million in grants in 2021 to improve tourism and recreation plans in communities all across the country.