BISMARCK – The North Dakota Department of Commerce has awarded $4 million in Destination Development Grants to projects across the state that support new and expanding tourism experiences and help drive long-term economic growth.

The 2026 cycle brought in 103 applications from 61 communities. The applications varied greatly and included many applications to enhance or build new community infrastructure. Each grant was scored across more than 20 categories by five committee members who looked at the measurable increase in new visitors as a primary factor.

Destination Development Grant Recipients were:

– Black Leg Market & Eatery, Sterling, $1.5 million for a project to construct new guest cabins, develop full-service RV sites and build the Market & Eatery on the ranch property.

– Dakota Sun Winery, Williston, $75,000 to expand the existing winery with an outdoor patio, a multi-season event venue and three grain bin glamping units designed to create memorable overnight stays. They also plan to partner with local beef producers to feature locally sourced ingredients on its menu, while adding vineyard yoga, wellness programming and collaborations with regional artisans and food trucks.

– Great Northern Event Center, Williston, $550,000 to support the final phase of the build-out of a historic Main Street property, transforming the underground portion of the building into a unique lounge and converting the adjacent wash bay building into boutique lodging suites.

– Icelandic Rootshús, Mountain, $300,000 to support the creation of a heritage center with exhibits, genealogy research areas, a library, children’s space and a coffee and gathering area, along with interior systems, furnishings, display cases and signage.

– Johnny’s Landing, Casselton, $870,000 to develop a lodging and wellness destination with 14 full hookup RV sites, 12 wellness-focused heritage cabins converted from authentic granaries and grain bins, renovated farmhouse lodging, preserved barn space for agritourism and a conversion of a historic wooden water tower into a sauna.

– Legendary Gymnastics: Meets and Competitions, Bismarck, $122,500 toward the purchase of competition-grade equipment, enabling the business to host meets attracting athletes from across the region and country.

– Pioneer Trails Adventures: Where Frontier Trails and Fossils Meet, Bowman, $82,500 to purchase equipment to expand archaeology and paleontology tours and increase tour accessibility and frequency.

– The Prairie Experience at The Bins, Lakota, $500,000 to support construction of the Bins Coffee & Spirits cafe, developing three grain bin lodging units and completing elements including a courtyard, stage, sauna, hot tub and patio areas. It also includes agritourism experiences which showcase current technology at large farm operations and regional tours.