WADDINGTON – The Village of Waddington will ask the St. Lawrence River Valley Redevelopment Agency to help fund the Bassmaster Elite Tournament in August.

The village board passed a resolution Monday, allowing Board Member William E. Dashnaw to apply for a 2013 community development and environmental improvement grant with the River Agency on behalf of the village.

This year, the agency has allocated $554,325 for community development and environmental improvement projects. The application fee is $100. Applications are due March 1.

The village will apply up to $60,000 for the grant to cover the host fee, Mayor Janet M. Otto-Cassada said Monday.

The village entered into a contractual agreement with the Bass Anglers Sportsman Society to host the event last year. Under the contract, the village must pay $60,000 to the organization and provide 100 night stays at nearby hotel rooms leading up to the event for staff and television crews.

The tournament, also known as the St. Lawrence River Showdown, will be held Aug. 8 to 11. The event is expected to draw thousands of people the area, national media outlets, and bring close to $2 million in tourism revenue.

“It’s definitely something that will bring economic development to our area,” Mrs. Otto-Cassada said.

Including funding provided by the River Agency, a committee charged with organizing the event is hoping to garner close to $100,000. To kick off their fundraising efforts, the committee will host the Redneck Winter Games at noon Feb. 17 at J.C’s River Run Bar & Grill, 17 Bowling Court.

Admission is $5 or free for kids 15 and under. For a registration fee of $100 per team, teams of five can compete in games of turkey bowling, toilet seat horseshoes, and the frying pan toss. Children’s games will also be available at the Donald M. Martin Arena. At the Monday’s village board meeting, the board agreed to suspend the village’s open container law at Bowling Court for the day of the games.

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