It’s been one year since the Logan County Ag Arena became a reality, and in that short time, it has proven to be a large benefit to the community.
When people decide to move into a community they investigate what it holds for their family. They look at housing, education, health care, employment opportunities and the overall quality of life benefits. If they find a community to hold all these things, they are more likely to settle there, invest their money, and put down roots for generations to come.
The Logan County Ag Arena is one of those quality of life benefits that people are looking for, and thanks to the progressive vision of the Agriculture Extension Board, along with a little help from the county’s fiscal court, Logan County has yet another feather in its cap to be proud of, one which is drawing economic dollars and spreading them around.
Chris Milam, the Agriculture/Natural Resources Agent for Logan County, is in charge of the arena and its scheduling. He says although it is time consuming, he does believe it is well worth it for the community, and for the county as a whole by way of economic effect.
Milam and the Extension Board make decisions about the facility on how much to charge to use the arena, what purchases need to be made to enhance the property, and what it should offer to tap into that quality of life aspect. A recent purchase of bleacher type seating from an old school in the north is one of those decisions and has added to the comfort of the arena, which will now seat a little over 1,100. Milam said when the arena was built, seating was really to expensive at that time to include in construction. A set of bleachers can run close to $75,000, said Milam. Because they waited, the board was able to obtain seating from the school in the north, as well as from Logan County High School, who sold a set of older bleachers for a fraction of that cost.
The arena has supplied many opportunities for the youth of the community and for entertainment purposes. There have been numerous 4-H events and youth cattle shows held at the arena, the county fair uses the space as well, as do rodeos, tractor pulls and motocross events. In September of last year, Logan County was selected to host a state cattle show sponsored by the Kentucky Department of Agriculture and the Kentucky Cattleman’s Association. This event is usually held in Standford or Winchester, but because of Logan’s new arena, the event was held here instead.
Events such as these not only bring in education opportunities and entertainment, as well as notability, but they also bring a boost to the economy. Some participating in or attending these events, will most likely eat in our restaurants, spend money at our stores and stay in our hotels. This, said Milam, provides an important effect on the community.
The schedule for 2013 is quickly filling up for the arena, which will feature more opportunities to gather together and enjoy something a few miles from your home. The arena is located off the 68-80 Bypass, nestled right beside the Agriculture Extension Service.
“I know with the amount of traffic that is coming through to these events, it is helping the community,” said Milam. “This whole deal has been really good, and it’s something the county can be proud of.”
If you are interested in renting the arena for an event, please contact Chris Milam at the Logan County Agriculture Extension Service at 270-726-6323.
Post a Comment
