Grant expected to generate $8 million in revenue in Madison

The Madison Area Sports Commission announced it received a $23,000 Joint Effort Marketing grant from the Wisconsin Department of Tourism Wednesday.

Grant dollars will go toward funding print, online and broadcast advertising, website development and trades-how fees, according to the release. Online advertising will include tapping into existing resources, such as the University of Wisconsin Badgers website, to target existing sports fans.

Goals for the project include 22 events that generate 21,000 future visitor room nights with a total estimated economic impact of $8 million.

The Madison Area Sports Commission works to bring sports events and competitions to the Madison area, according to the release.

“The funds provided by this grant will help promote the region as a destination for sports and grow the local tourism economy,” Stephanie Klett, tourism secretary, said in the release.

The Madison Area Sports Commission markets the Madison area as a premier destination for sporting events, according to the release. The organization places an emphasis on attracting new events to generate overnight room stays and utilize existing sports facilities, parks, roads, trails and other venues.

In 2013, the Department of Tourism funded 56 JEM projects, awarding a total of nearly $1.2 million, according to the release. Visitor expenditures driven by the marketing from the projects is expected to exceed $36 million.

Officials said direct visitor spending in Dane County during 2012 was $971.4 million, which was up nearly 9 percent from the previous year.

JEM grant funds are available to nonprofit organizations for the promotion of Wisconsin tourism events and destinations, according to the release. The state can fund up to 75 percent of a project’s first-year advertising and marketing costs, and provide support for second- and third-year plans until projects become self-sustaining.

For more information on the JEM program, click here.