Sports tourism capital investment fund webinars set Feb. 21, 28

The Delaware Tourism Office announced it will begin accepting applications Friday, March 1, for the Sports Tourism Capital Investment Fund.

Established through the FY24 Bond and Capital Improvements Act, the fund provides financial support to new or existing sports facilities that hold events throughout the year to attract out-of-state visitors, and contribute to the state and local economies.

The Delaware Tourism Office will hold two informational webinars for prospective applicants at 11 a.m., Wednesday, Feb. 21, and 1 p.m., Wednesday, Feb. 28. Preregistration is required. To sign up and for more information on eligibility, funding requirements and complete program regulations, go to visitdelaware.com.

Applications for the investment fund will be accepted until 4 p.m., Friday, April 12. 

“Sports tourism is a growing industry in our state and the surrounding region, with millions of dollars spent each year by event participants, their families and other attendees,” said Gov. John Carney. “This fund will help keep Delaware’s sports tourism industry competitive by ensuring visitors can play at first-class facilities and enjoy the many benefits that our state has to offer while staying here.”

In recent years, Delaware has been selected to host many national sporting events, including the U.S. Lacrosse Youth Nationals, the  Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference Volleyball Championship, the U.S. Adult Figure Skating Championships, and the state’s first PGA Tour event, the 2022 BMW Championship, which saw nearly 130,000 attendees and contributed more than $30 million to the local and state economies.

“These national events showcase our state’s ability to host large-scale sports competitions, and put Delaware in front of event planners and facility developers from around the country,” said Jeff Bullock, secretary of state. “As the $90 billion global sports tourism industry grows, this new fund provides us the opportunity to continue investing in our state’s sports venues to ensure Delaware remains top of mind for national and regional event decision makers for years to come.”

Facilities all over the state also hold smaller-scale sporting events throughout the year in lacrosse, football, soccer, softball, baseball and other sports.

“Each year, thousands of people visit Delaware to participate in or attend sporting events, filling our hotel rooms up and down the state, and providing a boost to local businesses,” said Jessica Welch,  Delaware Tourism Office director. “The sports tourism capital investment fund allows our state the opportunity to attract more visitors and continue shining a light on all the great reasons to visit Delaware. I encourage new and existing sports tourism facilities statewide to take advantage of this opportunity to apply for capital funding.”