Gena McCubbins, the Ag/Expo Center's new events coordinator, and Josh Ayoroa, executive director of Liberty/Casey County Economic Development Authority, will work on a master plan and a fee schedule for the center.
Jerry Hoskins, a member of the Kentucky Walking Horse Association, said he thought Casey had a good shot of landing the association's walking horse show, but he really did not think it would move here because of the lack of hotels and restaurants.
Hoskins said there is considerable support from eastern Kentucky horsemen to hold the show in Casey. After looking at photographs of the Ag/Expo Center, the association voted to move the show and also will hold its next meeting at the center.
He said Casey County will benefit economically from the show with an anticipated 20,000 people representing 10 states attending the four-day show that will feature 80 classes. The Ag/Expo Center itself will reap probably $4,000 from the show and an estimated thousands in proceeds from the concessions.
Lot of work to do
Hoskins said the county can become the best equine center in Kentucky if it rolls out the red carpet and expands the center, but he wants to do the work slow and do it right.
"We've got a lot of work to do," Hoskins told the board. "We need to pull together so we can get the job done."
Plans call for adding 150-200 stalls to the two open-sided buildings, and installing 20-30 recreational vehicle hookups and six or eight shower stalls.
Owens said bleachers that were damaged by high winds can be repaired with $14,886 in materials and inmates can help with the work. The board went along with the suggestion.
More bleachers are needed for the larger building. He said eight units of bleachers that can be pulled on trailers and seat 1,440 people can be purchased for $194,120.
However, Judge-Executive Ronald Wright warned that anything that will cost more than $20,000 has to be advertised for bids. He said the Fiscal Court currently has enough money to install the RV hookups, but not enough for beachers.
