Bill to create competitive 'catalyst' grants for homegrown sports and recreation events laid over for budget review

The committee laid over House File 613, as amended, a bill to create a competitive 'catalyst' grant program to help homegrown sports and recreation events expand size, duration or economic impact.

Representative Green moved the DE1 amendment to convert a previously direct appropriation into a competitive grant program with statutory scoring criteria that prioritize local economic impact, community and business engagement and long‑term viability.

Dean Orton, president of Twin Cities in Motion, testified on behalf of the marathon and described a three‑pillar proposal to invest in public‑safety and infrastructure capacity, extend event footprints to Greater Minnesota and add event distances/modalities to grow participation. Orton said the Twin Cities Marathon’s first full economic impact study estimated roughly $48 million in economic impact for the state and that a sustained growth plan could raise that to more than $60 million annually.

Members discussed scalability, geographic distribution and whether the program should fund single events or intermediaries that place interns or coordinate multiple events; lawmakers emphasized competitive criteria and legislative guidance to DEED on policy goals. The committee laid the bill over for possible inclusion in a budget bill and asked sponsors to continue refining scoring criteria and implementation details.