EconomyAlaska · June 23, 2026
the valley's new front door
There's a brand new front door to the Mat-Su Valley, and it didn't cost local homeowners a dime.
Daily Alaska staff · June 23, 2026
The Matanuska-Susitna Borough opened its new Gateway Visitors Center at mile 36 of the Glenn Highway, the first right after the Parks and Glenn interchange heading toward Palmer. The project took nineteen years to reach completion, with construction breaking ground last March, and it was paid for with grants and matching dollars rather than property taxes. The 9,400 square foot building now houses the Mat-Su Convention and Visitors Bureau along with space for community events.
For Valley residents who host family and friends each summer, the center gives them a free, ready-made resource to point visitors toward as soon as they arrive. The building includes displays on activities available in all four seasons and on the history and culture of the Mat-Su Valley.
Inside, digital kiosks let visitors build a custom trip by choosing where to stay, eat, and visit. The kiosks then map out the drive with times and distances and send the finished plan directly to a visitor's phone.
The center also includes a designated selfie spot with the Chugach Mountains as a backdrop. The Gateway Visitors Center is open daily from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m.
In this story
Questions people ask
Where is the new Gateway Visitors Center?
At mile 36 of the Glenn Highway, the first right after the Parks and Glenn interchange heading toward Palmer.
How big is the visitors center and who paid for it?
It's a 9,400 square foot building funded with grants and matching dollars, not local property taxes.
What can visitors do at the Gateway Visitors Center?
See displays on four-season activities and Valley history, use digital kiosks to build a custom trip with maps and drive times sent to their phone, and take a selfie photo with the Chugach Mountains in the background.
What are the center's hours?
It's open daily from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m.
Evidence
Sources
Claims and where they come from
- The Mat-Su opened a new Gateway Visitors Center at mile 36 of the Glenn Highway, the first right after the Parks and Glenn interchange toward Palmer. · alaskasnewssource.com
- The 9,400 square foot building took nineteen years to complete and broke ground last March, funded by grants and matching dollars. · alaskasnewssource.com
- The center houses the Mat-Su Convention and Visitors Bureau and features digital kiosks for custom trip planning. · alaskasnewssource.com
- The Gateway Visitors Center is open daily from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. · alaskasnewssource.com
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 →