Borough submits bid to host 2024 Arctic Winter Games

The Mat-Su Borough has submitted its bid to host the Arctic Winter Games in 2024.

The games are an international sports competition for countries and regions within the Arctic Circle.  Participating teams include Alaska, multiple Canadian provinces, and indigenous peoples from Greenland, Scandinavia, and Russia. 

The Arctic Winter Games were first held in Yellowknife in the Yukon Territory in 1970.  Since then, they have been held every two years.  The 2020 games were to be held in Whitehorse, but were called off due the COVID-19 pandemic.  In 2022, the games are planned to be held in Wood Buffalo, Alberta.

The Mat-Su Borough Assembly approved making a bid for the 2024 Arctic Winter Games at its meeting on February 2^nd.  The Assembly also committed to a $250,000 appropriation to facilitate the bid. If the Mat-Su is chosen, quite a bit remains to be decided, including what events would be held.  Nineteen events were scheduled for the 2020 games, including various snow and ice sports, basketball, and Arctic Games, which are derived from traditional contests of various indigenous cultures.  The borough’s bid includes plans to use the Menard Sports Complex, Brett Memorial Ice Arena, school campuses, and borough trails to hold events.

Also undetermined is the cost if the Mat-Su is chosen.  In a press release issued Tuesday, the borough says the amount needed is expected to be between four and six million dollars.  Of that, the borough says the State of Alaska has committed to two million, and the Arctic Winter Games International Committee could contribute $50,000.  Much of the rest is expected to be made up of grants and in-kind donations.

Tuesday’s press release states that it usually takes the Arctic Games International Committee about three weeks to decide on a bid.