GARRISON – Gov. Doug Burgum along with North Dakota Department of Commerce Tourism and Marketing Director Sara Otte Coleman and others celebrated the opening on Thursday of the Good Bear Bay Lodge at Indian Hills Resort, a new lodging option on the shores of Lake Sakakawea, west of Garrison.

The lodge was made possible with the help of the Commerce’s Destination Development Grant program, which was approved by the state Legislature in 2023 and signed into law by Burgum. The program awarded $25 million in matching grants to 14 projects last November.

“North Dakota’s tourism industry continues to thrive, and the Good Bear Bay Lodge is a shining example of how expanding services at one of our state’s key destinations, Lake Sakakawea, can help us attract more visitors from across the country and address our workforce challenges,” Burgum said.

“There was tremendous interest in the program, with 81 projects requesting more than $151.5 million in funding,” Otte Coleman said.

Thursday’s ribbon cutting marks the first project completed with Destination Development grant support.