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PACIFIC NORTHWESTMORGAN HORSE ASSOCIATION <br />Date 3/2/17 <br />Senator Jim Honeyford <br />Way and Means,Vice-Chair Capital Budget Committee <br />112 Irv Newhouse Building <br />PO Box 40415 <br />Olympia,WA 98504 <br />Senator Judy Warnick <br />Chair,Economic Development Committee <br />103 Irv Newhouse Building <br />PO Box 40413 <br />Olympia,WA 98504 <br />Re:Washington State Horse Park -Covered Arena Project <br />Dear Senators: <br />As President of the Pacific Northwest Morgan Horse Association and manager of it's annual <br />horse shows,the tourism economy of our state is extremely important to us.I urgé you to <br />support the Washington (WA)State Horse Park application for $2.0 million in capital funding <br />support for a Covered Arena and Associated Build-Out submitted by the WA State Horse Park <br />Authority. <br />Located in Cle Elum and in operation for 6 years,the 112-acre Horse Park is a destination venue <br />among horse facilities in our state and already attracts over 30 thousand visitors per year,95 <br />percent of whom are nonlocal.The Park's ability to draw people from outside the.local area <br />uniquely characterizes the Park's impact:over $2.5 million in overnight stays.Total economic <br />impact of the Park,including day visitors,is $3.4 million.The Covered Arena will allow the Park <br />to attract more horse disciplines,host larger shows and extend the its operating season from <br />five to nine months,significantly increasing the size and number of events held at the Park. <br />Cle Elum is in Kittitas County,where over 18 percent of jobs are in the Accommodations and <br />Foodservice Sector (Kittitas County Profile,Meseck,regional labor economist, <br />updated September 2016).The economic impact of the Park is considerable. <br />Our organization currently runs horse shows in a private venue.Expansion of the WA State <br />Horse Park would enable us to conduct our events there to the significant benefit of the Horse <br />Park,the local economy of that area and Washington State tourism overall.We attract over one <br />hundred horses and their connections to our annual events.One of these is the oldest <br />continuously held Morgan competition West of the Mississippi River.The Pacific Northwest <br />Morgan Hdrse Association is a registered WA state charitable organization. <br />Thank you for your consideration.I urge the State to fund this important project. <br />Sincerely, <br />Catherine Cloud <br />32209 24th Ave NW <br />Stanwood,WA 98292