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Oate; February28,20L7 <br />Senator Jim Honeyford <br />Way and Means, Vice{hair Capital Budget Conrmittee <br />i^12 lrv ilewhsuse Building <br />PO Bcx 40415 <br />Olympia, WA 98504 <br />Senator Judy Warnick <br />Chair, Fconornic Oevelopment Committee <br />103 lrv Newhouse Suilding <br />P0 Bnx 4CI413 <br />Olympia, WA 98504 <br />Re: Washington $tate llorse Fark - Covered Arena project <br />Derr Senators: <br />As a horse swner and an office-holderlrnember of various horse organilatisns, I know of the <br />need to have a quallty facility that horse enthusiasts can use. I haye $een the progr€ss that has <br />been rnade on the Horse Park and feel that it is a one-of-a kind venue that can be the number <br />one horse facility in Waslring3on r,vith the potential to attract hcrse enthusiasts and their <br />farnilies not only frorn the northwest, but the nation as r,rrell. The tourlsrn eronerny of our state <br />is extremeiy itnFofiant tp us and the dollars generated by the horse industry's use of the Horse <br />Park can have a major positive effect on o$r $tate's economy. I urg€ you to support the <br />Washington {WA}$tate Herse Park application fsr $z.o million in caBitatfsndlng support for a <br />Cavered Arena and Associated Euild-CIut submitted by thc WA State llorse park Authority" <br />Located in Cle Elum and in operation for 6 years, the 112-acre Horse Park is a destination venue <br />arnong hcrse facilities itt our state and already attract$ over 30 thousand yisitars per year, 95 <br />percent of whom are nonlocal, The Fark's ability to draw people from Eutsid€ the lscal area <br />uniquely charasterizeg the Park's irnpact: over $?.5 million in overnight stays. Total econornic <br />impact of the Park, including da'y visitors, is 53"4 million. Tbe Covered Arena will allow the park <br />to *tract msre horse diripllner, host larger shows and extend the it$ gperating season frcm <br />five ts nine months, significantly increasing the si:e and number of eyents lreld at the park. <br />Cle Elum is in Kittitas County, where over 18 percent cf jobs are ifi the Accrmrnodations and <br />Faodservice $efior lKttritas County Prafile, Meseck, r*gianal labsr econornist, <br />updated September 2CIx61. The economic impact of the park is considerable. <br />Thank you for your consideratioil. I urge the State ts {und this irnporlant projsct. <br />Sincerely, <br />Julie l(arnatb <br />4716W" L{tx <br />Kennewick, WA 99338