Design starting for event center at Grant Fairgrounds

MOSES LAKE — A preliminary design for a new event center across the street from the Grant County Fairgrounds could be finished this year. The existing fairgrounds complex is scheduled for some upgrades sometime this year, including additional lighting in a spot that’s very popular during the fair.

Fairgrounds manager Jim McKiernan said the event venue would be something a little different for Grant County.

“Our goal is to be able to host a 750-person event, with catering, kitchens and some breakout rooms, and stuff like that,” McKiernan said.

The goal is to provide an option for groups that need a big space, and to help accommodate Grant County’s growth, he said.

“We need to look at additional revenue streams for the fairgrounds. Our equestrian events schedule is very full, so we’re looking for other events to do. And we get hit up for an event venue all the time,” McKiernan said.

“As we see these larger companies moving into the area, the thought is, ‘Hey, we want to be able to host their events here at the fairgrounds rather than having to go outside (the county),'” he added. 

The building will be located on unimproved property across Airway Drive from the main facility on the hill overlooking Cascade Valley.

“That bluff offers the opportunity to build something that’s visually stunning because of its sunsets in the evening,” he said. “We’re not sure what it’s going to look like yet; we’ve got a small group of stakeholders in the community to help guide us, so we can come up with something visually appealing.”

McKiernan said fairgrounds officials are working to have a preliminary design done in 2024, but that construction would depend on if and when the county has the money. 

“Timing for that kind of a project is totally dependent on budget, the commissioners, things like that,” he said. 

The fairgrounds will host more than 130 events in 2024, from equestrian shows all summer long to the junior livestock show and Moses Lake Chamber of Commerce Business Expo last week, to the Grant County Fair in August. Fairgrounds officials have been working on improvements to make the facility more attractive to potential users during the year and for fairgoers. 

Work has been completed on new bathrooms in the Commercial Building and 4-H building, and the buildings have been connected and the Ag Building, which was remodeled over the last couple of years. All three buildings have upgraded heating-cooling and fire suppression systems. 

McKiernan said the additional space has provided additional opportunities.

“It’s allowed events to spread out a little bit more,” he said. “Because of the square footage we can now offer, we’re getting looks at bigger events for sure.”

County officials received a $145,000 grant to add lighting to the space where food vendors set up during the fair, called center field. It’s a matching grant, McKiernan said, so the county will add $145,000. 

“It really boils down to a safety issue more than anything,” McKiernan said of the lighting project. “There are some pretty dark places and we want to make sure nobody has any problems walking.”

New lighting also expands opportunities for outdoor events, he said.

“This gives us the ability in the spring, and in the fall, to go a little bit later,” he said, “and even in the summer. If somebody wanted to do (an event) in center field, that could go a little bit later.”

It’s the third time the fairgrounds have received a WSDA grant for lighting, and McKiernan said the goal is to have the new lights installed by fairtime.

County officials also will be adding asphalt paths to two bathrooms to make it easier for people with limited mobility to access them. A contract has been tentatively awarded for that project, pending approval from the Grant County Commissioners. The contract amount is about $157,000.

Cheryl Schweizer may be reached via email at cschweizer@columbiabasinherald.com.

    The Country Sweethearts dinner and auction in February filled both the Commercial and the 4-H buildings at the Grant County Fairgrounds nearly to capacity. A proposed event center at the fairgrounds would provide a place to hold more events of that size, according to Fairgrounds Manager Jim McKiernan.