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Kittitas County,Washington <br />'BOARD or COUNTY COMMISSIONERS <br />t½¾rkiOne Distrrel Two Disirici T%rcc <br />unir umn Paul Jewell Laura Osiadacz Obie O'Brien <br />February 27,2017 <br />Senator Jim Honeyford <br />112 Irv NewhouseBuilding <br />PO Box 40415 <br />Olympia,WA 9804 <br />HonorableSenator Honeyford: <br />We are writing to you today to express our support for two Capital Budget requests for projects in Kittitas <br />County:the Kittitas Valley Event Center Facilities Upgrade (submitted by Representative Manweller)and <br />the Washington State Horse Park Covered Arena and Associated Build-Out (submitted by Senator <br />Warnick). <br />Located in Cle 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 of the Park,including day visitors,is $3.4 million.The <br />Washington State Horse Park is a valuable economic asset in Upper Kittilas County.We continue to <br />support it every year with local funding that helps with operational costs and projects.Further <br />developmentof this facility will provide significant additional benefit in our rural county. <br />The Kittitas Valley Event Center is located in EIIensburgand 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 20 I 6.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 Ellensburgand the surrounding Kittitas County. <br />In addition to the 11nancial benefits of the Kittitas Valley Event Center and the Washington State Horse <br />Park,both projects embody the vision ofour County's ComprehensivePlan.Agritourism and rural <br />recreation opportunities play an essential role in this plan and facilities such as these are consistent with <br />preserving the agricultural industry as well as rural character. <br />Thank you for your consideration ofthese important projects. <br />Res 'ly, <br />ABSENT <br />au well La )si cz Obie O'Brien <br />Chairman Vicethairman Commissioner <br />Cc:Senator Judy Wamick <br />Representative Matt Manweller <br />Representative Tom Dent <br />KITUTAS COURTY COt½miOUSE 205 WEST Ÿ.SUf11 108 -ELLENSBURG.WA 98926 <br />(509)%2-750s -FAX(509)%2-7679 <br />www.co.kiniiss wa us