Latest News

Following months of continuing negotiations, the Authority Board, Suncadia and Cle Elum are very close to resolving final details and are expected to sign the Land Donation and Lease Agreements by the end of June. The Horse Park leadership group has worked very hard to make sure that all the issues involved in these negotiations are addressed in such a way that a first class competition and recreational venue can be built and operated on the site. Final execution of these Agreements will allow title to the property to transfer, thus enabling the Authority to begin accessing the $3.5 million in budgeted State funding.
In other major news, the design and construction firm of CMW, Inc. of Lexington, Kentucky has been hired to work closely with the Horse Park leadership group and major horse discipline representatives to design the site layout and facilities for the Washington State Horse Park. Please visit CMW’s website at www.cmwequine.com  to see some of the work in their portfolio. (Note that one of CMW’s accomplishments was the original planning for Kentucky Horse Park, where they currently are upgrading facilities in preparation for the 2010 World Equestrian Games.) CMW’s director of equine venues visited our site last Fall and is returning in late June with a specialist in western disciplines so that detailed discussions and planning can get underway. We expect to have a preliminary review of the site plan by August, including further input from major discipline representatives, and the final site plan by September.
It remains our hope to be able to host some activities at the Horse Park in late summer 2009!

Click Here to see a map and site description.

As previously reported in January, 2008:
Suncadia management and the Authority Board signed a Letter of Intent regarding the boundaries, easements and access to the Horse Park site and adjacent open space that will be used for cross country and combined driving competitions. This is a major milestone and resolves many of the issues needed for a Land Donation Agreement, thus allowing deed to the property to be transferred.

The Cle Elum City Council endorsed a proposal from the Authority Board to accept ownership of the land being donated by Suncadia in exchange for a long-term (99+ years) leaseback to the Authority at a nominal annual rate. This arrangement offers several major benefits: it will allow the Horse Park to avoid paying property tax on the land, and further underscores the close relationship and between the Authority and the City as the Horse Park develops into a major driver of economic growth for the surrounding area.

SKILLS NEEDED

If you, or anyone you know, is interested in helping with this next phase of the Horse Park take a closer look here for your area of interest.

For a brief account of the Horse Park History (click)