North Dakota ranch gets $1.5 million tourism grant

STERLING, N.D. (North Dakota Monitor) — An agricultural tourism site has been awarded $1.5 million for a planned expansion, part of $4 million in tourism grants announced by the North Dakota Department of Commerce.

The $1.5 million is for the Black Leg Market and Eatery at Sterling, east of Bismarck, which will be part of Black Leg Ranch. The ranch raises cattle and bison and sells meat. It also has a wedding venue, lodging, hunting and a brewery.

The project involves building the Market and Eatery, adding guest cabins and developing full-service RV sites.

The money for the $4 million in the latest round of grants became available after Country Fest, a Morton County music festival, declined the grant money after it decided not to make major changes to the event.

The Department of Commerce opened a new round of Destination Development Grant applications after Country Fest declined.

Other grant recipients include:

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 granaries and grain bins, renovated farmhouse lodging, preserved barn space for agritourism and a conversion of a historic wooden water tower into a sauna.

Great Northern Event Center – Williston, $550,000: To refurbish a historic Main Street property, turning the underground portion of the building into a lounge and other upgrades.

The Prairie Experience at The Bins – Lakota, $500,000: For construction of the Bins Coffee and Spirits café, developing three grain bin lodging units and other amenities. A full list of grant recipients is available on the Department of Commerce website.

(Story written by Jeff Beach – North Dakota Monitor)