The race is on in Sault Ste. Marie to raise money for a permanent pavilion at the International 500

More than 10,000 snowmobile race fans braved frigid temperatures this month to attend the largest annual event in the U.P.: The International 500 Snowmobile Race in Sault Ste. Marie. 

By next year, fans may have a warm spot to enjoy refreshments, thanks to a grant-matching effort underway to fund the construction of a permanent pavilion at the popular snowmobile track. 

The campaign has just 60 days to raise $50,000 through donations that will be matched dollar for dollar by the Michigan Economic Development Corporation, to unlock a total of $100,000 for the project.

This pavilion represents more than an upgrade to the I-500 track — "it’s an investment in our community’s future,” says Linda Hoath, executive director of the Sault Ste. Marie Convention and Visitors Bureau. “We’re calling on our community to help us cross the finish line. Every dollar brings us closer to making this dream a reality.”

What’s happening: A crowd-funding campaign to finance a proposed 40-foot-by-80-foot pavilion that will replace the temporary vendor tent currently in use. The city has 60 days to raise $50,000. If that goal is met, the city will receive a matching $50,000 from the Michigan Economic Development Corporation.

The pavilion will provide a durable space for race fans to enjoy food, drinks, and vendors. The pavilion will feature a heated interior where fans can warm up during the I-500 Race in February. Among the features are seasonal drapes that can be attached to and removed from the pavilion.

Sault Ste. Marie Convention and Visitors BureauThe location of the new pavilion.Located just a few blocks from Lake Superior State University and  I-75's last exit before Canada, the pavilion will also provide an ideal assembly spot year-round for events such as concerts, sprint car races, fat-tire biking, hiking and dog walking, school cross-country meets, family weddings and graduations,  and other all-season events.

 Construction details: In addition to the insulated curtains for winter use, the open-air wooden pavilion will feature gable end trusses with tongue-and-groove siding, a standing seam Duro-last roof, tongue and groove ceiling, stone veneer column bases, a concrete slab floor, overhead LED lighting, and electrical outlets at every column base.

The backstory: The idea for the I-500 came about in 1968 when several businesspeople were discussing the Indianapolis 500, and the questions arose of whether or not a snowmobile could run for 500 miles. The idea became a plan for a race patterned after the Indianapolis 500 but for snowmobiles. The first race was held the following year and began on a track set on an old creek bed of gravel and clay that was originally developed in World War II as an ammunition dump. The race is billed as the most grueling and prestigious snowmobile rae in the world and draws about 10,000 snowmobilers from all over the country each year. 

Sault Ste. Marie Convention and Visitors BureauThe tents that were used to warm fans at the annual race.The I-500 annual race is a 100 percent volunteer organization, and the track was built by volunteer help in less than six months. It takes three weeks to make the track, using 1.8 million gallons of water transported from a hydrant in the pit area using three 8,000-gallon tankers.

More than the shelter: The pavilion is just one part of a larger $2.5 million grant-funded transformation of the entire city-owned I-500 track grounds into a year-round event area; the Sault Ste. Marie Convention and Visitors Bureau and city of Sault Ste. Marie have been working on the enhancement project for two years. 

How to donate: Contributions of any size are welcome; community members also are encouraged to spread the word, share the campaign on social media, and rally support for this project. “The I-500 track is sacred ground for Sault Ste. Marie, a place where tradition, excitement, and community intersect,” Sault Ste. Marie Mayor Don Gerrie says. “The Trailhead Pavilion will ensure the track remains a vibrant gathering place for generations to come.”

The matching grant program has been instrumental in bringing our vision for the new pavilion at the I-500 track to life,” Hoath says. “This initiative not only enhances our community's premier winter attraction but also supports year-round events and activities, boosting local tourism and economic growth." 

To donate, click here. 

What’s next: Engineering for the pavilion has been completed; construction will begin in the spring and the pavilion will be finished and ready for use by fall.

Rosemary Parker has worked as a writer and editor for more than 40 years. She is a regular contributor to Rural Innovation Exchange and other Issue Media Group publications.