MARQUETTE — The Ishpeming City Council at a special meeting Tuesday accepted a state rural development grant that will support the creation of a rustic campground on Malton Road and authorized its commitment to matching funds for the project.

The grant funding was originally to be a $100,000 grant with a $100,000 match, officials said. However, due to the budgetary challenges presented by the city matching the grant funds in full, city officials requested the state lower the matching percentage requirements. The initital $100,000 grant match was reduced to a roughly $30,000 matching requirement. The council decided the contribution to the $30,000 in matching funds would be split equally between the public improvement fund and the general fund.

The council is still in the early stages of the design process, but a proposed plan will construct a rustic campground with over 50 sites, as well as restroom facilities.

Ishpeming Mayor Lindsey Bean said she felt the project would be “a great opportunity for us,” noting there were some concerns, “but nothing that seemed insurmountable.”

This will be an opportunity to focus on places for tourists to reside and on forest management, city officials said.

“This is a real win-win-win situation kind of all the way around,” Bean said.

Bean added she attended a Range Area Mountain Bike Association board meeting on Monday “and spoke with them and they are very much on board with the idea.”