"The 2006 World Equestrian Games, Aachen in numbers:
Actual local economic impact: $328 million; 570,000 spectators from 61 nations; 1,700 employees and volunteers; 130 judges; 76 stewards; 100 veterinarians; 965 grooms; 1,200 journalists; 300 photographers; 380 TV crewmembers; 70 hours of television coverage broadcast in 157 countries; 2,500 bales of straw; 5,000 bales of shavings; 66,635 lbs. of hay; 40,000 catered meals; 6,000 honorary guests; 100 hostesses; 300 service/kitchen staff; 270 exhibitors; 68 car and van service vehicles; 120 drivers.
Did we mention, momentum?
The momentum, or energy, produced by such an event is its payoff for the economies of Lexington, the Bluegrass region and the commonwealth of Kentucky. At this moment, that momentum is in jeopardy. The 2007 Kentucky General Assembly, with two work days remaining, is stalled on the issue of appropriating $38 million to provide the Kentucky Horse Park with facilities and infrastructure key to its ability to host the Alltech FEI World Equestrian Games 2010.
The situation
The House and Senate are deadlocked over proposed changes to the state budget and state retirement systems. Any resolution must now wait until the legislature reconvenes March 26 for two final days of work. Funding for the Horse Park, approved by the Senate, was left hanging in the balance.
The leadership of each chamber blames the other for the stall.
Why the urgency
The proposed stadium must be completed and ready for the stringent pre-event testing required by the governing body of this international event, the Federation Equestre Internationale, well in advance of the Games in 2010. Delaying funding, let alone actual construction, until after the 2008 legislative session is not an option.
If no funding is appropriated in the current session, the Horse Park will have no choice but to opt for its fallback plan: installing an expensive yet temporary stadium facility in time for testing and the Games. While this temporary fix could avoid loss of the Games (the FEI has, indeed, previously pulled the Games from ill-prepared host cities), the facility disappears immediately following the last medal ceremony. That leaves the Horse Park and Lexington with nothing to sustain the momentum gained from this event and at a significant competitive disadvantage as other states invest in facilities specifically designed to attract major national equestrian events.
Given the constant drone from Frankfort concerning the commonwealth's chronic need for additional revenues to fund stressed human services, it is particularly troubling that our legislative leadership is failing to recognize what this facility means.
The stadium is about capitalizing, for years to come, on the momentum created by the opportunity to serve as America's host of a major international sporting event. In addition to propelling the Horse Park onto a fast track to self-sufficiency (a projection by Horse Park management of 2012 is based on their ability to attract additional national events), these events represent a new source of those sorely needed tax revenues.
This is Lexington's way of contributing to the commonwealth by doing what it does best. Please contact your state representative as soon as possible and insist that the 2007 session of the Kentucky General Assembly provides the Horse Capital of the World with an investment in the tools we must have to secure and benefit from this international equestrian event.
Contact:
Charlie Hoffman (D-Georgetown) — Chairman, House Democratic Caucus — District includes the
Horse Park —
(502) 863-9796 (H),
(502) 863-4807 (O),
(502) 564-8100 (Frankfort)
Charlie.hoffman@lrc.ky.gov
Stan Lee (R-Lexington) —
House Minority Whip — Member, House Economic Development Committee —
(859) 252-2202 (H),
(859) 252-2202 (O),
(502) 564-8100 (Frankfort)
Stan.lee@lrc.ky.gov
Ruth Ann Palumbo (D-Lexington) — Chair, House Economic Development Committee —
(859) 299-2597 or 2598,
(502) 564-8100 (Frankfort)
Ruthann.palumbo@lrc.ky.gov
Kathy Stein (D-Lexington) — Chair, House Judiciary Committee —
(859) 252-1500 (H),
(859) 225-4269 (O),
(502) 564-8100 (Frankfort)
Kathy.stein@lrc.ky.gov or chixnkidz@aol.com
Susan Westrom — (D-Lexington) — Chair, Licensing & Occupations — (859) 266-7581 (O),
(502) 564-8100 (Frankfort)
Susan.westrom@lrc.ky.gov
Robert Damron — (D-Nicholasville) — (859) 887-1744 (H),
(859) 229-4219 (O),
(502) 564-8100 (Frankfort)
Bill Farmer (R-Lexington) —
(859) 272-8675 (H),
(859) 272-1425 (O),
(502) 564-8100 (Frankfort)
Jesse Crenshaw — (D-Lexington) — (859) 252-6967 (H),
(859) 259-1402 (O),
(502) 564-8100 (Frankfort)
House Speaker Jody Richards
(D-Bowling Green) —
(270) 842-6731 (H),
(270) 781-9946 (O),
(502) 564-2363 (Frankfort)
Jody.richards@lrc.ky.gov
House Speaker Pro Tem Larry Clark (D-Louisville) —
(502) 968-3546 (H),
(502) 564-7520 (Frankfort)
Larry.clark@lrc.ky.gov
Additional KHP factoids:>
$17 million - Annual tax revenues
$15 million — Economic impact of Rolex 3 Day Event
$240 million — Total annual local/regional economic impact
900,000 — Annual number of visitors, 60% from out-of-state
$4.4 billion - Annual economic impact of horse industry
"