FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. (KNWA) — Experience Fayetteville has been awarded with a $2.3 million grant from Walton Family Foundation’s personal philanthropy group to help boost Northwest Arkansas as a premier cycling destination.

The grant will be used to promote and plan several cyclocross events including the 2019 FayetteCross and the 2022 Union Cycliste Internationale Cyclocross World Championships.

Funds will also be used to have employees of a production group out of Longmont, Colo. manage the events.

“These funds will ensure that the state’s first professional cyclocross events are executed professionally and successfully, (and) also, that they reflect positively on our city and region, bolstering Northwest Arkansas as a premier cycling destination,” said Molly Rawn, executive director of Experience Fayetteville.

FayetteCross will be Oct. 5-6 at Centennial Park at Millsap Mountain. The deadline to register is Oct. 1.