State construction budget funds 106-acre horse park in Cle Elum

OLYMPIA -- Funding for the Washington State Horse Park in Cle Elum is included in the Legislature’s capital budget passed Sunday in Olympia. Rep. Deb Eddy (D-Kirkland), a resident of the Bridle Trails area, made securing the $3.6 million grant one of her top priorities for the year.

“I have worked with my colleagues, Reps. Bill Hinkle (R-Cle Elum) and Judy Warnick (R-Moses Lake), to make sure that this project stayed in the budget, and we succeeded.”

The state grant will provide for design, engineering and sufficient site preparation to allow limited equestrian activities on the site.

The Washington State Horse Park authority was created when development of the Suncadia Resort in Cle Elum resulted in the provisional donation of 106 acres of land, currently valued at $5 million. Failure to fund this capital request would have resulted in the land reverting to Suncadia.

Completion of the park will require a major capital campaign, but the $3.6 million grant allocated by the state ensures that the transfer of title to the horse park authority will occur.

“This is a benefit because soaring land values in the Puget Sound area have made it impossible to site any major recreational use like this on the west side of the Cascades,” Eddy said.

Eddy noted that the grant “ensures that we will recapture some of the big events currently staged outside the state, representing the return of millions and millions of dollars of economic activity.” The economic feasibility study for the horse park found that revenue now flows out of the state due to the lack of a venue appropriate for certain equestrian activities.

The equestrian industry in Washington state not only generates economic activity, but also offers recreational opportunities for developmentally-disabled children and horse shows benefiting local charities, Eddy said.

“Taking kids to a horse show is one of the most entertaining ways to spend a day,” Eddy said. “I’m looking forward to attending the first event in Cle Elum.”

Staff contact: Andrew Dziedzic, (360) 786-7218

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