LifeAlaska · June 11, 2026
the valley's new front door
The Mat-Su Valley is finally opening the welcome center it's been planning for nearly two decades.
Daily Alaska staff · June 11, 2026
The Mat-Su Convention and Visitors Bureau is set to open its new Gateway Visitor Center near Matanuska Lake at the entrance to the Mat-Su Valley by mid-June, with a community celebration planned alongside the Matanuska-Susitna Borough.
The roughly two-decade project was funded primarily by a federal Economic Development Administration grant, with the local match coming from the sale of the old visitor center. The bureau says local property taxes were not used to build it, and ongoing operations are covered by the borough bed tax paid by travelers staying in hotels and short-term rentals.
The site offers sweeping views of Pioneer Peak and the Chugach Mountains, along with paved walking paths, scenic overlooks, a picnic area, and a designated selfie spot.
Beyond tourism, the center includes meeting and classroom space for up to 100 people, available to Palmer, Wasilla, and the wider Valley community for events, programs, and rentals. It plans to operate 10 a.m. to 6 p.m., seven days a week, year-round.
In this story
Questions people ask
When does Mat-Su Valley's new welcome center open?
By mid-June. The Gateway Visitor Center sits near Matanuska Lake at the valley entrance after nearly two decades of planning.
Who paid for the Mat-Su visitor center?
Mainly a federal Economic Development Administration grant, with local match from selling the old center. Day-to-day operations come from the bed tax hotels and rental guests pay, not property taxes.
Evidence
Sources
Claims and where they come from
- The Gateway Visitor Center near Matanuska Lake is expected to open by mid-June. · bigcabbageradio.org
- The project was funded primarily by a federal Economic Development Administration grant, with the local match coming from the sale of the old visitor center. · bigcabbageradio.org
- Ongoing operations are funded by the Mat-Su Borough bed tax rather than local property taxes. · bigcabbageradio.org
- The center includes meeting and classroom space for up to 100 people and will operate 10 a.m. to 6 p.m., seven days a week, year-round. · bigcabbageradio.org
Produced with AI assistance, narrated with Slav Lund's voice clone with his consent, and reviewed by a person before publishing. How we use AI →