DELAWARE - The Delaware Tourism Office announced the latest round of sports tourism capital investment fund awardees. The state allocated $10 million across 5 sports facilities.
The Delaware Tourism Office announced it has awarded $10 million through the Sports Tourism Capital Investment Fund to five sports facilities across Delaware. The fund was established through the Fiscal Year 2024 Bond and Capital Improvements Act and provides financial support to new or existing sports facilities in the state.
The state tourism office says it accepted applications for the funding from August 1st to September 13th and received 17 applications requesting more than $47 million. The final available funds totaled $10 million.
Those applications were reviewed by a panel that included the co-chairs of the Joint Capital Improvement Committee, Sen. Jack Walsh and Rep. Debra Heffernan, and representatives of the Delaware Tourism Office, the Greater Wilmington Convention and Visitors Bureau, Kent County Tourism, and Southern Delaware Tourism.
The following facilities were chosen by the panel:
Factory Sports ($577,000), to construct two additional basketball courts, two volleyball courts, and six pickleball courts in order to host larger and more frequent tournaments at their facility in Frankford.
Hudson Fields ($1,123,000), to take initial steps to modernize the facility in Milton by upgrading nine outdoor playing fields, installing two turf soccer fields, and improving seven existing grass fields to tournament standards.
Bethany Tennis Club ($3,800,000), to build a new structure with multiple interior courts and social gathering spaces to attract year-round events for tennis, pickleball, and padel sports at their Ocean View facility.
Dover Motor Speedway ($500,000), to implement upgrades to the facility allowing it to continue hosting large-scale events with new paving, elevator upgrades, Infield Media Center refurbishments, and an improved audio system.
Kirkwood Sports Complex ($4,000,000), to make enhancements to the New Castle facility by upgrading parking infrastructure and expanding parking with 300 additional spots, installing artificial turf on five sports fields, and lighting five turf fields.
The sports tourism office says a recent study showed "sports tourism is a significant economic driver in our state, attracting millions of visitors to Delaware each year and generating millions of dollars in revenue."
