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Kittitas County,Washington <br />BOARD or COUNTY COMMISSIONERS <br />Districi One Disirici Two Districi Three <br />Paul Jewell Laura Osiadacz Obie O'Brien <br />February27,2017 <br />Representative Steve Tharinger <br />314 John L.O'Brien Building <br />PO Box 40600 <br />Olympia,WA 98504 <br />Honorable Representative Tharinger: <br />We are writing to you today to express our support for two Capital Budget requests for projects in Kittilas <br />County;the Kittilas Valley Event Center Facilities Upgrade(submitted by Representative Manweller)and <br />the Washington State Horse Park Covered Amna and Associated Build-Out (submilted by Senator <br />Warnick). <br />Located in Cie Elum,the i 12-acre Washington State Horse Park attracts over 30 thousand visitors per <br />year,95 percent of whom are nonlocal --a statistic that uniquely characterizes the Park's impact:over $2.5 <br />million in overnight stays.Total economic impact ofthe Park,including day visitors,is $3A mîllion.The <br />Washington State Horse Park is a valuable economic assel in Upper Kittitas County.We coniinue to <br />support il every year with local funding that helps with operational costs and pmjects.Further <br />developmentof this facility will provide significant additional benefit in our rural county. <br />The Kittitas Valley Event Center is located in Ellensburg and is the home of the World Famous Ellensburg <br />Rodeo and Kittitas County Fair.For nearly one hundredyears,this event has attracted tourists to Kittitas <br />County for several days over Labor Day Weekend -nearly 60 thousand in 2016.This facility also <br />operates year-round,providing facilities for a variety of events large and small that create significant <br />economic benefit to the City of EIIensburgand the surrounding Kittitas County. <br />In addition to the financial benefits of the Kittitas Valley Event Center and the Washington State llotse <br />Park,both projects embody the vision of our County's ComprehensivePlan.Agritourism and rural <br />recreation opportunities play an ess¢ntial role in this plan and facilities such as these are consistent with <br />preserving the agricultural industry as well as rural character. <br />T1:ank you for your consideration of these important projects. <br />Res -Ily. <br />Paul ewell L )Oshnindi *Obie O'Brien <br />Chairman Vicedhairman Commissioner <br />Cc:Senator Judy Wamick <br />Representative Matt Manweller <br />Representative Tom Dent <br />KrrilfAS COUNTY COURT110USE ·205 WEST 5*.SUt11 105 ELtÆNSBURG.WA 98926 <br />(509)962-7508 -FAX (509)962-7679 <br />www.co.kinitas.wa.us