Enumclaw Expo Center Awarded Funds for Field House Renovation

November 23, 2015

Summary

Facilities to receive economic boost from Building for Culture Program

Story

Metropolitan King County Councilmember Reagan Dunn championed the effort to allocate funds from the Building for Culture Program for the restoration of the Enumclaw Expo Center’s historic Field House. A capital improvement grant for $77,026 will be awarded to the Enumclaw Expo Center for the restoration of the Field House, $47,000 more than the organization had previously expected.

“Restoring the Field House is not only about providing the Expo Center and community with a beautiful venue for the future but it’s also about preserving a piece Enumclaw heritage,” said Councilmember Reagan Dunn, who represents Enumclaw on the County Council. “With the help of the funds from 4Culture the Field House will continue to enrich the entire community and all who visit.”

“On behalf to the City of Enumclaw I would like to thank King County Councilmember Reagan Dunn for his ongoing support for his district and all the King County Councilmembers for their support and collaboration with 4Culture to secure the much needed dollars to address the Historic Enumclaw Expo Center Field house improvements,” said Mayor Liz Reynolds. “The continued outreach and support into smaller communities of King County is greatly appreciated. Thank you.”

“The Enumclaw Field House, sometimes known as Pete’s Pool, has been a gem in our community since 1939,” said Scott Gray, General Manager of the Enumclaw Expo Center. “With the money from 4Culture, we will be able to restore this beautiful building back to its original purpose, and continue serving the community for years to come.”

The Expo Center is a versatile event center that serves over 150,000 visitors annually. Each numerous cultural events take place on the Expo Center’s 72 acres including the King County Fair. The 4Culture funds are awarded in addition to $50,000 in funding for the next two years to help support the operation of the King County fair as well as the $10,000 secured as a part of the Council's adopted 2015-2016 Biennial Budget Councilmember Dunn helped to secure over the course of last year.

Building for Culture is a partnership between King County and 4Culture, King County’s cultural services agency, using bonds backed by the hotel-motel tax to build, maintain, expand, preserve, and improve new and existing cultural facilities.

The bonds supporting these projects are made possible by early retirement of the Kingdome debt and after this year hotel-motel tax revenues directed to arts and cultural programs.