Delaware Tourism Office Announces $11.3 Million Going to Four Sports Facilities

The Delaware Tourism Office has announced $11.3 million in awards to four sports facilities through the Sports Tourism Capital Investment Fund.

Established through the Fiscal Year 2024 Bond and Capital Improvements Act, the fund provides financial support to new or existing sports facilities to attract out-of-state visitors and contribute to the state and local economy. The Delaware Tourism Office accepted applications for the fund from March 1 through April 12, 2024, receiving 18 applications requesting more than $54 million.

“Sports tourism is a significant economic driver in our state, attracting thousands of visitors to Delaware each year and generating millions of dollars in revenue,” said Jessica Welch, director of the Delaware Tourism Office. “We are pleased to be able to support these facilities in their expansion efforts. This funding will go a long way in ensuring that our state can offer top-notch facilities to teams and event operators for years to come.”

The facilities receiving funding include:

• Wilmington Sports LLC ($6 million) to construct a new indoor track facility, adjacent to the Chase Fieldhouse in Wilmington, that will serve as a multi-sport complex and host a variety of events and competitions.
• DE Turf ($3 million) to make improvements to the complex in Frederica to host larger regional and national tournaments. This will include tripling stadium seating to 3,000 seats, constructing a new tournament facility and adding amenities.
• Midway Motion & Fitness ($2 million) to construct a pickleball complex in Rehoboth Beach with 12 indoor courts and four outdoor courts, meeting the requirements for sanctioning of tournaments by the American Pickleball Association.
• STATS Tournaments ($300,000) to install stadium lights at two fields and build one additional baseball and softball field at the facility in Bear to accommodate increasing demand.

“DE Turf is thrilled to receive this funding to support expanding our facility,” said Bill Strickland, chair of the DE Turf board of directors. “Since the complex was built in 2017, it has become a first-class destination that attracts sports tourism events to Kent County on a year-round basis. This funding will allow our organization to increase the number of events held at the facility, provide an opportunity to host a larger variety of events, and increase the overall economic impact DE Turf has on the state.”

Applications were reviewed by a panel including the co-chairs of the Joint Capital Improvement Committee, Senator Jack Walsh and Representative Debra Heffernan, and representatives of the Delaware Tourism Office, the Greater Wilmington Convention and Visitors Bureau, Kent County Tourism and Southern Delaware Tourism.

“This was a very competitive application process, and the panel worked diligently to consider the merits of each facility that applied,” said Walsh. “The applicants receiving funding play an important role in encouraging out-of-state visitors to attend sports events in Delaware, growing the economy, and introducing our gem of a state to new audiences.”