Public Facilities District asks county to back bonds for Cowlitz County Events Center improvements

The Cowlitz County Public Facilities District on Wednesday urged the county to support issuing bonds to finance Phase 1 of a master plan for the Cowlitz County Events Center, telling county leaders the work could unlock a hotel, a multipurpose sports and events building and equestrian upgrades that would increase year‑round attendance and economic activity.

The PFD asked the county finance committee to consider a recommendation to the Board of County Commissioners by April on whether the county should issue bonds to pay for Phase 1 and asked staff to begin amending the 2003 interlocal agreement with the county by June so the district can design and plan later phases. “We really think the master plan reflects what we have heard and what is feasible and needed in this community,” Bob Gregory, project manager for the Cowlitz County Public Facilities District, told commissioners.

The ask matters because the PFD’s two main revenue streams — a retained portion of local sales tax and a voter‑approved 1% lodging tax — are restricted by state law to PFD facilities. Bronson Potter, legal counsel for the PFD, explained that while those revenues have produced more than $1,000,000 from the retained sales tax and more than $200,000 from the lodging tax in 2024, the PFD’s credit capacity is smaller than the county’s. “If the county issued the bonds, you have a much better rating,” Potter said, and the county could support a larger bond issue than the PFD could alone.

Plan and scope

The PFD’s preferred concept keeps the existing Events Center and fair functions and layers new and renovated facilities around the campus. Key components described in the presentation include: - Improvements and a modest expansion (roughly 3,500 square feet) to the conference Mount St. Helens room and other Event Center upgrades; - A hotel site adjacent to the Event Center (the PFD and City of Longview have previously negotiated a land arrangement); - A multipurpose indoor facility on roughly seven acres across Seventh Avenue (the consultant example shown was about 40,000 square feet) intended for sports tournaments, trade shows and other events; - Equestrian arena and grandstand upgrades; - RV park renovations and additional parking; and - Campus wayfinding, storage and small‑scale site improvements.

The PFD described a phasing plan in which Phase 1 focuses on Event Center renovations, conference expansion, storage, signage and some sitework; Phase 2 would be the multipurpose building; and Phase 3 would include equestrian facilities.

Cost, financing and next steps

The district presented high‑level cost estimates and said earlier master‑plan ranges had been higher; staff told commissioners they had scoped Phase 1 to fit available funding and that the PFD had retained Parametrics as an owner’s representative for the Phase 1 design‑build procurement. The district’s financial advisers illustrated that, because the county can borrow at a higher credit level, the county could under its full faith and credit issue bonds large enough to cover Phase 1 (presentations cited county bonding capacity in the $11–13 million range based on projected PFD revenues), whereas the PFD acting alone could likely bond substantially less.

Bronson Potter said several procedural steps remain, including updating the interlocal agreement to recognize design work for Phase 2 and securing state project review approvals required for a public design‑build procurement. The state Department of Commerce also must complete an independent feasibility review the PFD will submit as part of the process.

Officials emphasized the projection that adding a multipurpose building and hotel would grow non‑fair events and attendance over a multi‑year horizon, improving operating results by “year 5” in the district’s model and generating broader economic impacts for lodging, restaurants and retail.

County response and oversight

Cowlitz County Treasurer Deborah Gardner said the county’s finance committee will convene the relevant finance staff — county auditor, comptroller and others — to evaluate whether issuing bonds on behalf of the PFD is prudent and compatible with the county’s other capital plans. Gardner described the committee’s role as assembling the fiscal information the Board of County Commissioners would need to form a recommendation.

Legal counsel and PFD board members said they would work with county staff to prepare an amended interlocal agreement and a schedule that aims to resolve financing decisions this spring and early summer so design and procurement can proceed.

What was requested and what’s next

The PFD requested three concrete steps at the meeting: (1) that the county finance committee evaluate and report back by April with a recommendation on bonding for Phase 1; (2) that county and PFD attorneys begin work to amend the interlocal agreement and define leasing/footprint details for the multipurpose facility by June; and (3) that the PFD proceed with a design‑build procurement for Phase 1 once the county indicates it will provide bonding support.

The PFD emphasized that Phase 2 (the multipurpose building) is not yet financed and that more programming and design work is required before the district returns with firm costs and a financing plan.

For now, the board asked staff to continue schedule and financing work and scheduled further interagency discussions. The PFD and county staff will return with more detailed financial analyses and proposed interlocal language to the county for review.