DELAWARE - The Delaware Tourism Office has awarded $10 million through the Sports Tourism Capital Investment Fund to five sports facilities. The fund, created under the Fiscal Year 2024 Bond and Capital Improvements Act, supports facility upgrades to attract out-of-state visitors and enhance the state economy.
According to the Delaware Tourism Office, applications for the fund were accepted from Aug. 1 to Sept. 13, 2024. Out of 17 applications requesting more than $47 million, a total of $10 million was available for distribution.
“The recent economic impact study confirmed that 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,” said Jessica Welch, director of the Delaware Tourism Office.
Facilities receiving funding include:
- Factory Sports ($577,000) – Adding courts for basketball, volleyball and pickleball in Frankford.
- Hudson Fields ($1,123,000) – Upgrading nine fields and adding turf soccer fields in Milton.
- Bethany Tennis Club ($3,800,000) – Building a new facility for tennis, pickleball and paddle sports in Ocean View.
- Dover Motor Speedway ($500,000) – Upgrades for paving, elevators and audio systems, allowing it to continue hosting large-scale events.
- Kirkwood Sports Complex ($4,000,000) – Expanding parking and installing turf and lighting for five fields in New Castle.
The office says a recent study showed sports tourism generated $257.9 million in direct spending in Delaware in 2023, supporting over 3,000 jobs.