Last year’s World Cup biathlon races in Fort Kent brought a sense of vitality, both economic and emotional, to northern Maine. It will take more than excitement, however, to ensure that these benefits aren’t short-lived. Earlier this week, the U.S. Biathlon Association, in Colchester, Vt., announced it was moving its headquarters to Portland and Banknorth Group Inc. announced it was committing more than $1 million to become the sport’s chief sponsor in this country. The task now is to expand Maine’s biathlon enthusiasm into permanent economic development for the northern part of the state.

Biathlon’s journey to the state is the result of the hard work of the Maine Winter Sports Center. The center’s aim is both simple and lofty. By re-establishing skiing as a lifestyle in Maine, the group seeks to create “a new economic and cultural model for Maine’s rural communities – one which keeps young families together and attracts businesses looking for a high quality of life for their employees.”

The center has built two stellar biathlon and cross-country ski racing facilities in Fort Kent and Presque Isle. It also owns three downhill ski areas and a cross-country ski center in central Maine. Through these areas, school programs and, most visibly, by bringing the world’s top biathlon races to Fort Kent and the sport’s U.S. headquarters to Portland, the center has proven its economic development potential. It is now up to private entrepreneurs and the state to build on what the center has started.

Maine has proven it has the sporting venues and volunteer manpower to hold world-class races. What is lacking now is space to house the athletes and support staff who attend biathlon races, which combine cross-country skiing with precision target shooting. Last year, Fort Kent hosted its first biathlon World Cup event, to rave reviews from athletes and visitors who were housed in a hastily built dormitory at the University of Maine at Fort Kent.

The dorm is now used for UMFK students and won’t be available when the town hosts the Paralympic Nordic World Championships in March. It also hopes to host the U.S. Olympic trials this December and future World Cup races. That won’t happen unless more housing for athletes, support staff and spectators is built, says the center’s executive director, Andy Shepard.

The problem is that ski races bring visitors to the area, but they alone are not enough to sustain a new hotel. Visitors need to be drawn to the area throughout the year. What Mr. Shepard envisions is Fort Kent becoming an outfitter center where visitors can stay in a nice room and be presented with a choice of outdoor activities or trips for each day. For example, a two-day canoe trip on the St. John River could be combined with mountain bike trips, day hikes and a trip to Quebec City to keep a family in the region for a week. Such ventures are successful in other parts of the country and can thrive in Maine.

Such a facility would be built by private investors but the state should make the project as attractive as possible and not just by making the area a Pine Tree zone.

Biathlon and skiing alone are not the salvation of northern Maine, but they are an important, and successful, component. Now there is even more opportunity to build on that success.