I-500 Snowmobile Race site gets greenlight for year-round use
Officials in Sault Ste. Marie, located in the Upper Peninsula of Michigan, are working toward making the home of the world’s largest single-day snowmobile race useable year-round.
A report on Mlive.com states that the city’s commission recently awarded a construction project at the I-500 track to a local construction company.
The International 500 Snowmobile Race attracts riders from across the U.S. and Canada and brings in millions of dollars in winter tourism. Officials now plan to upgrade the site to make it viable for year-round use for events like concerts, carnivals, and other races.
Facilities will be upgraded around the race site, adding new parking lots, buildings, roads, expanded utilities, and seating areas. Local officials hope to host events such as concerts in the summer to bring even more visitors into town.
Most of the project’s funding is from a $2.5 million grant from the Department of Commerce’s Economic Development Administration’s American Rescue Plan.
The Sault Ste. Marie Convention and Visitor’s Bureau must raise $500,000 in funds to access the total grant. In total, $420,000 has been raised, and construction is set to begin after the 2025 race in February, the Sault News reported.
