Next year's Minnesota Governor's Fishing Opener will be held in the Lake Vermilion area, May 7 through 10, 2015. Explore Minnesota Tourism, the state's tourism promotion office, organizes this event each year in coordination with a host community. The 68th annual Governor's Fishing Opener will be hosted by the Lake Vermilion Resort Association (LVRA), with Fortune Bay Resort as headquarters.

During my four years as Governor, we have had outstanding Fishing Openers hosted by community leaders in Grand Rapids, Waconia, Park Rapids, and Brainerd, said Governor Mark Dayton. I am delighted to announce that next year's Governor's Fishing Opener will be at Lake Vermilion. Thank you to everyone involved in hosting next year's Opener.

The Lake Vermilion area has a long tradition as a northeast Minnesota fishing destination, and now, it's also well-known for great golfing, scenic parks, historic sites, numerous resorts and more, said John Edman, director of Explore Minnesota Tourism. The Minnesota Governor's Fishing Opener will put the Lake Vermilion area in the spotlight for travelers.

The Lake Vermilion Resort Association and Fortune Bay Resort are thrilled to have this prominent event, said LVRA President, Jay Schelde. We last hosted it in 2005, so we know what to expect and we'll be ready to showcase all that the Lake Vermilion area has to offer.

Fortune Bay Resort, which is owned and operated by the Bois Forte Band of Chippewa, will host many of the events and activities. There are also plans for area tours, including the new Lake Vermilion State Park and other area landmarks.

There will be no shortage of activities, said Schelde. This event will be a great economic boon to the Lake Vermilion area, giving us the exposure needed to show people what an amazing destination this is.

The Governor's Fishing Opener has been a tradition in Minnesota since 1948. The event was designed to promote the development of Minnesota's recreation industry, and in recent years, it has served as an iconic kick-off celebration for the summer tourism season. Travel and tourism generate $12.5 billion in leisure and hospitality gross sales in Minnesota annually.

The Minnesota Governor's Fishing Opener provides the host community with an opportunity to highlight local fishing and other travel activities, attractions and points of interest. Media from throughout the Midwest region attend the event, resulting in significant publicity for the host community and Minnesota.

More information about the Governor's Fishing Opener is available at: www.mngovernorsopener.com