A SKI JUMP competitor heads down the Pine Mountain hill. (Theresa Proudfit/Daily News photo)

IRON MOUNTAIN — The Kiwanis Ski Club’s dream of again having an international World Cup ski jumping competition in Iron Mountain may be close to coming true.

Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer and International Ski Federation Race Director Walter Hofer announced Wednesday that Pine Mountain — host to an annual FIS Continental Cup tourney — could draw a World Cup level event in 2021.

Speaking at the U.S. Ski and Snowboard Hall of Fame in Ishpeming, they said the Iron Mountain ski club has been working through its “Soaring Into the Future Campaign” to upgrade the hill and bring the venue up to modern standards.

That effort got a boost this year when it was put in line for part of a $10 million appropriation by the Northern Michigan Tourism and Sports Fund and Great Lakes Sports Commission.

Pine Mountain has been the site of world-class ski jumping since 1939 after the county assisted the federal Works Progress Administration in building the giant scaffold and landing hill. At 176 feet, it is among the highest artificially created ski jumps in the world.

It hosted the FIS Ski Jump World Cup in 1996 and 2000.

“Bringing an event back to North America has been a priority for us,” Hofer said in a news release.

The announcement represents “global recognition for our great state of Michigan,” said Eric Hiatt, chief of competition for the Kiwanis Ski Club and a two-time junior World Cup champion.

“The Kiwanis Ski Club has been preparing for this for a long time,” Hiatt said. “We have been involved with ski jumping for 80 years and have been pressure-tested and are ready to show the world that we can do this.”

The club has been working on the needed improvements at Pine Mountain, which have an estimated total cost of just under $4 million, to be able to host such events, Hiatt said.

“The way I like to compare it is in baseball you have the major leagues and Triple A. Continental Cup is Triple A and World Cup is the major leagues,” Hiatt said. “The Continental Cup brings in those on their way to the Olympics and World Cup has current Olympic competitors.”

Those interested in supporting the annual tournament can go to www.soaringintothefuture.org.

It also was announced at Wednesday’s press conference that Copper Peak in Ironwood, the only ski flying venue in the western hemisphere, expects to submit a bid in early 2020. It would become the largest year-round event and training facility in the world in 2021, according to the news release from Wednesday’s press conference.

“I’m pleased to see this commitment to bring world-class ski jump competition back to Michigan after a 21-year absence,” said Billy Demong, Olympic gold medalist and executive director of USA Nordic Skiing. “This is truly a transformational opportunity for the entire state.”

The Great Lakes Sports Commission, a non-profit organization that promotes northern Michigan as a premier destination for sports and outdoor recreation, said this investment will not only create next-level competition but also enhance the economy and quality of life in Michigan.

“We are thrilled to facilitate investments that provide a winning edge for Michigan. While our work is just beginning, there are boundless opportunities to grow and attract events to northern Michigan, bring new talent, increase investment, and draw in many competitors and visitors that will generate millions of dollars for our region,” GLSC Chairman Doug Luciani said in the news release.