Monroe fairgrounds renovation planned

Snohomish County will begin identifying renovation projects at the Evergreen State Fairgrounds thanks to an expected increase in real-estate excise taxes collected from home sales.

The County Council unanimously has approved about $400,000 in the 2006 budget to begin improvements at the Monroe-area fairgrounds, which initially were constructed in the mid-1940s.

A 2004 business plan created to increase equestrian events, auto racing and trade shows will be the cornerstone of any renovations, fairgrounds manager Mark Campbell said. Specific projects are likely to be determined in the next six months.

"We've been setting this up for the past year," Campbell said. "We need to make improvements to meet the needs of fair events but also nonfair events."

By the end of December, more than a thousand events will have been held at the fairgrounds this year, Campbell said. Some have been small meetings, while others have been as large as auto races, which have been held at the fairgrounds for 50 years.

Council members supported the spending because the renovations should increase interest in using the fairgrounds.

"Improvements at the fairgrounds will generate more revenue," County Council Chairman Gary Nelson said during a recent budget discussion.

The cost of improvements hasn't been determined, Campbell said, but the $400,000 won't be enough to complete everything on the expected list of projects.

"The needs are going to continue here," he said. "We need to begin making those steps now, however, so that we can continue to keep the fairgrounds positioned within the Snohomish County area as a facility that benefits residents and nonresidents."

Campbell said that once specific projects are identified, the list will be taken to the council and the County Executive's Office for review.

Christopher Schwarzen: 425-783-0577 or cschwarzen@seattletimes.com