The town government unsuccessfully campaigned for a NASCAR racetrack and regional swimming center in the early 2000s, aiming to become an all-year destination for the county. Several major floods in the late 1990s and early 2000s damaged properties along the rivers; in 2003 one washed out part of the Mountain Loop Highway. The highway was not restored until 2008, costing Darrington approximately $750,000 in tourist revenue and forcing several businesses to close. Darrington's main lumber mill laid off 67 workers in 2011, citing the effects of the Great Recession and declining demand. The town government, running on a small budget of $1.6 million, accepted several grants from the state to upgrade its water system and repair streets during the recession.