KVEC Operations-Staffing and 100YR Bus Partnership (4)

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Tourism-Related Facility Operational Funding Narrative (Municipality Applications Only) For the Year;2O23 L. Operational Spending: Please explain your request for operational funding and how it is directly related to supporting the operations of a tourism-related facility owned or operated by a municipality or public facilities district. The Kittitas Valley Event Center is requesting operationalfunding in the sum of $200,000 for part of its labor cost that continue to support facility maintenance as well as serve the functionality of the operations including providing expected services directly to customers who rent the facilities and visit Kittitas County. KVEC management realizes the importance of the proper attention, upkeep, and maintenance that this large and diverse facility needs, as well as providing excellent customer service and support. Our 2023 event season has been well under way with several customers and events returning again for the first time since the pandemic shutdown. 100 years ago, the Kittitas County Fair moved permanently to where it is today and we take great pride in the 100th anniversary of our grounds. lt's also the 100th anniversary of the Ellensburg Rodeo, which our facility plays a key role in hosting the World-Famous event each year. With the 100th year celebrations bring an extra level of excitement and planning. This year, the Rodeo Board has proposed hiring two tour buses to complete routes from all the hotels to the Fair and Rodeo to help alleviate parking congestion with more attendees expected due to the anniversary. The Kittitas County Fair would very much love to partner with the Ellensburg Rodeo and the Chamber of Commerce on these buses as it will be very beneficial to the events and our attendees. The cost we are requesting is a total sum of $6,500 that we will pay to the Ellensburg Rodeo for our share in the bus partnership. This funding addition is a special request only for 2023. 2. Sustainability Strategy: Please describe your strategy for long-term operational sustainability lnclude any specific progress toward this goal. With current staff structure, direction, and processes, l(/EC can better meet the expectations and demand of events held on the grounds as well as continue to bring in new business. Our 4th of July celebration, called Patriot Night Under the Lights, features a top-notch country music concert and is growing each year, becoming an established Ellensburg event. Last year, we saw a 14% growth in attendance. Hosting events like these increases the economic impact on our community by bringing in more visitors and generating tourism. New event holders continue to inquire about booking at KVEC due to the improvements they've witnessed as event attendees or by word of mouth. We are excited to that we have CWU Horse Shows, a brand-new Car and Motorcycle Show, as