Snohomish County PFD projects

The Snohomish County Public Facility District (PFD) was created in July 2001 to access a portion of state sales taxes collected within the county, then to distribute those funds to help build regional projects. A state law enacted in 1999 allows city and county public-facilities districts to collect a 0.033 percent sales tax, or 3.3 cents on every $100 purchase, for 25 years.

Edmonds Center for the Arts

A 1939 theater, originally built as an art-moderne auditorium attached to the former Edmonds High School, was renovated and re-opened in January 2007 as a 700-seat performing-arts center.

• Cost and funding sources: The Edmonds Public Facilities District funded the $18.5 million renovation with a mix of private donations, government grants and state sales-tax dollars from the county and city. The county PFD originally allocated $3.2 million (in 2003 dollars) to be distributed through 2026.

• Economic and community benefits: The center is a showcase for the performing arts, attracting touring shows while providing a home for the Cascade Symphony Orchestra, Olympic Ballet Theatre, Sno-King Community Chorale and the Edmonds Community College theater program.

• Outstanding debt: $11.6 million.

Comcast Arena at Everett Events Center

The center opened in September 2003, covering two square blocks in the city's historic core at Broadway and Hewitt avenues. It contains three separate components: an arena with retractable seating and changeable flooring for ice hockey, basketball, dirt events or 10,000-seat concerts; a 14,000-square-foot convention center that includes a ballroom; and a community ice rink that can be connected with the arena to create 57,000 square feet of floor space for trade shows.

• Cost and funding sources: The Everett Public Facilities District built the $83.3 million center with $26.8 million in city funds and a construction loan to be repaid with state sales-tax rebates from the city and county, hotel-motel-tax revenues, admission taxes and operating revenues. The county PFD originally allocated $7.5 million (in 2003 dollars) to be distributed through 2026.

• Economic and community benefits: The events center is changing the city's image while jump-starting downtown redevelopment, drawing new restaurants and bars. The community ice rink is popular with residents and amateur hockey leagues, and the conference center hosts local events such as Everett High School graduation ceremonies and large professional gatherings.

• Outstanding debt: The city PFD recently refinanced its original construction loan, with a current balance of about $55.6 million.

Snohomish County Parking Garage

An underground parking garage built off Oakes Avenue between Wall Street and Pacific Avenue as part of Snohomish County's campus redevelopment completed in 2005 was allocated $1.3 million (in 2003 dollars) in county PFD funds because of its proximity to the Everett Events Center, which does not have its own parking facilities. The garage is not a contender for additional PFD funding.

Future of Flight Aviation Center & Boeing Tour

The 73,000-square-foot aviation center opened in December 2005 on an elevated site overlooking the Everett Boeing plant and Paine Field's runways. Interactive displays include a supersonic-flight simulator, a 242-seat theater, fuselage sections of the new Boeing 787 Dreamliner and Boeing 707, a Boeing 727 cockpit and a gallery with airliner jet engines on the floor and airplanes suspended from the ceiling.

• Cost and funding sources: The Snohomish County Airport built the $24.5 million center with construction bonds, to be repaid with state sales-tax rebates from the county, its 20-year Boeing lease and revenues from tickets, events and its gift store. The county PFD originally allocated about $5.8 million (in 2003 dollars) to be distributed through 2026.

• Economic and community benefits: About 93 percent of the center's annual visitors — projected at 200,000 this year — come from outside Snohomish County, including a sizable number of international tourists. Before the center's construction, the Boeing tour already was the county's leading tourist attraction with about 80,000 visitors per year. The center also is emerging as an international gathering point for aviation interests.

• Outstanding debt: About $24.5 million.

Lynnwood

Convention Center

The two-story building on a 13-acre site opened in May 2005, with a main exhibition hall capable of handling meetings of up to 1,300 people. Plans are under way to build an adjacent hotel.

• Cost and funding sources: The South Snohomish County Public Facilities District financed the $31.5 million project, which included plaza renovations, with bonds to be repaid with state sales-tax rebates from the state and city, hotel-motel taxes, shopping-center income and convention events. The county PFD originally allocated about $8.4 million (in 2003) dollars to be distributed through 2026.

• Economic and community benefits: The convention center's location just off a major Interstate 5 interchange is considered a boost for Lynnwood's image. Nearly 82,000 people attended its events last year, with many patronizing local restaurants, hotels and shops.

• Outstanding debt: About $29.2 million.

PFD board members: Travis Snider, Debbie Emge, Janice Greene, Boyd McPherson and Erik Nelson

— Diane Brooks