The Christian County Ag Extension Service hopes to begin construction this fall on an indoor agriculture events arena at its Pembroke Road campus.
Jay Stone presented the proposal to Christian Fiscal Court Tuesday morning and says the Extension Office Board has given the go ahead for the project. Christian Fiscal Court designated $2 million toward the indoor sportsplex project earlier this year and Judge-Executive Steve Tribble says there was a memorandum of understanding with the City of Hopkinsville that the city would contribute $1 million when an Ag project was set to proceed.
Magistrates unanimously approved a request to the city for that $1 million Tuesday morning and the Extension Office would be the lead agent on the project.
Stone says the dirt floor facility could host livestock shows and many other events.
The Extension Service would schedule and oversee operations at the facility and initial construction phases could begin within weeks.
Stone stressed that the new facility would not replace or compete with the livestock pavilion at the fairgrounds.
The entire project is estimated to come in at about $1.6 million. One million would come from the city if council agrees, $500,000 would come from the Extension District Fund, donations will be solicited and borrowing money would be a last resort.
In other action, former eclipse coordinator Brooke Jung and Emergency Management Director Randy Graham presented fiscal court with the Grand Pinnacle Award the community received for its planning and efforts before, during and after the 2017 total solar eclipse.
Hopkinsville and Christian County was selected out of over 1,200 entries in its class at the International Festivals and Events Association Convention in San Diego, California.