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Kittitas County,Washington <br />BOARD or COUNTY COMMISSIONERS" <br />District One District Two District Three <br />nu Moss1 I <br />Paul Jewell I.aura Osiadacz Obie O'Brien <br />Februmy 27,2017 <br />Representative Steve Tharinger <br />314 John L.O'Brien Building <br />PO Box 40600 <br />Olympia,WA 98504 <br />Honorable Repmsentative Tharinger: <br />Weare 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 Amna and Associated Build-Out (submitted by Senator <br />Warnick). <br />located in Cie Elum,the i 12-acm Washington State Horse Park attracis 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 visitom,is $3.4 million.The <br />Washington State Horse Park is a valuable economic asset in Upper Kittitas 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 />Rodco and Kittilas County Fair.For nearly one hundredyears,this event has attracted tourists to Kittitas <br />County for several days over Labor Day Weekend -nearly 60 diousand in 2016.111is facility also <br />operates yer round,providing facilities for a variety of events large and small that create significant <br />economic benefit to the City of Ellensburg and the surrounding Kittitas County. <br />In addition to the financial benefits of the Kinitas Valley Event Center and the Washington State llorse <br />Park,both projects embody the visîon ofour County's ComprehensivePlan.Agritourism and rural <br />recreation opportunities play an essential mie in this plan and facilities such as these are consistent with <br />pmserving the agricultumi industry as well as rural character. <br />Thank you for your consideration of Ihese important projects. <br />Res •lly, <br />ABSENT <br />Pani ewell Osk Obie O'Brien ¯ <br />Chairman Vicedhairman Commissioner <br />Cc:Senator Judy Wamick <br />Representative Matt Manweller <br />Representative Tom Dent <br />KfrTITAS COUNTY COURT1100SE 205 WEST SR SUffe LOB ELLENSBURO.WA 98926 <br />(509)%2-7508 -FAX (509)¾2-7679 <br />www.co.kiukas.wa.us