Serving Lincoln County for more than a century!
Serving Lincoln County for more than a century!
State dollars to help build new space
DAVENPORT — The Lincoln County Fairgrounds is set to receive a large amount of dollars in the state biennial budget to aide in the construction of a new covered arena. 1 million dollars, to be exact.
The money will be more than 50% of the estimated $1.9 million cost to complete the project.
“We’ve been asking for a replacement for the old beef barn for three (budget) cycles,” Lincoln County Commissioner Scott Hutsell said. “The idea was (from) Gerry Stiles, who used to be the Fair Advisory Committee chair. He had a vision of having a covered arena that could be used year-round.”
The covered arena will not replace the current outdoor arena at the Fairgrounds. Instead, it will be a new structure built where pigs and beef are currently showcased at the County Fair.
“It won’t be completely enclosed or heated, but we’ll put panels in there during the Fair and set it up to have beef in there,” Hutsell said. “The idea was a multi-purpose center…where the girls can barrel race and guys can rope year-round in case of inclement weather. Eventually, we could get to have a full-fledged rodeo (in the covered arena).”
Hutsell said he originally asked for funding from the state in 2017. Rep. Tom Dent, R-Moses Lake, offered $500,000 of the Fairgrounds’ $1.4 million request in 2021, but Hutsell declined due to the gap of funding that would leave the project.
When Lincoln County was redistricted to the 9th Legislative District, Rep. Mark Schoesler, R-Ritzville, told Hutsell he’d push for $1 million.
“It won’t finish the project, but we’ll get the roof built and we’ll throw a little bit of money in (ourselves),” he said.
The current pig showing area will be moved west, closer to the stage where performers offer live music during the Fair. The covered arena, a free-spanned metal structure, is projected to be 20,000 square feet.
Fair advisory board members hope construction will begin on the covered arena after the Fair this August. Vendors will also have the option of using the covered arena, and beef will be stored inside, instead of the present location of the horse barn, Hutsell said.
Drew Lawson is the editor of the Davenport Times. He is a graduate of Eastern Washington University.
Reader Comments(0)