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Room Tax Commission approves grants for Eagle River Ice Castle, trail crossing and milfoil control
Summary
The Room Tax Commission approved three grants totaling $79,600 on March 11, 2025, funding the Eagle River Ice Castle at $24,600, a Highway 45 bike/ped crossing at $50,000 and $5,000 for hand-harvesting Eurasian watermilfoil. Several other requests were denied or deferred.
The Room Tax Commission voted March 11, 2025, to approve three grant awards totaling $79,600 for projects intended to support tourism and lake health in and around Eagle River.
Commission member Ron Van Dusen moved, and Commission member Crystal Loppnow seconded, the motion to fund the Eagle River Fire Department at $24,600, the Eagle River Revitalization Program at $50,000 for the Highway 45 (Railroad Street) bike/ped crossing at Spruce Street (Riverview Park), and the United Lower Eagle River Chain of Lakes Commission at $5,000 for additional hand-harvesting of Eurasian watermilfoil. Minutes record the motion carried; individual vote tallies and roll-call votes were not recorded in the minutes.
Peter Anderson, speaking as a representative of the Chamber’s Ad/Promo Committee, urged full funding for the bike/ped crossing, saying cycling brings high visitor volume to the county; the minutes report he cited "over 100,000 cyclists" and roughly "$26 million" in related revenue to Vilas County. The commission approved the $50,000 request in full.
The commission approved the Eagle River Fire Department request at the original $24,600 level after the department submitted an amended application that removed maintenance costs and added equipment items. Ron Van Dusen told the commission he considered the Ice Castle request a strong draw for visitors; Crystal Loppnow said from a hotel perspective the event is an "enormous draw" for out-of-town guests, as recorded in the minutes.
On aquatic invasive species, the United Lower Eagle River Chain of Lakes Commission sought $24,000 to add roughly 12 days of hand-harvesting to combat Eurasian watermilfoil and avoid chemical treatments. The minutes record discussion about efficacy and cost sharing; Sue Saxhaug said hand harvesting reaches plant roots and can better stop spread, while some commissioners expressed concern about placing the full financial burden on lodging businesses. The commission approved a partial award of $5,000.
Several other requests were not approved. SnoEagles asked for $12,500 to buy two remote live-feed cameras; commissioners concluded the purchase would not directly increase overnight stays and did not fund the request. A $10,000 request from the Vilas County Economic Development Corporation for Riverside Park development was judged premature because a review committee has not yet been formed, and commissioners did not vote to grant that sum. A $7,729.22 request from the Warehouse Arts Center for courtyard improvements was also not approved for not being closely tied to increasing overnight visitation.
The minutes note the Eagle River Historical Society’s request will be discussed at the June meeting. The meeting adjourned at 10:29 a.m.; the minutes record the next meeting is scheduled for June 10, 2026, at 9:30 a.m.
Note on figures and missing details: the $26 million tourism revenue figure and the "over 100,000 cyclists" number are recorded in the minutes as cited by the Chamber representative; the commission minutes do not provide a source or independent verification. The minutes do not include individual vote tallies for the motion that approved the awards.
