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Kittitas (pronounced 'KITT-i-tass') County is located in central Washington State. It spans from the lush forested Cascade Mountains to the upper Yakima River Valley plains and the Columbia River.
Kittitas County, WA - 07/15/2026 - The Kittitas County Lodging Tax Advisory Committee (LTAC) met on July 8th to receive formal, one-year progress updates from recipients of the County’s 2025 large capital grant cycle.
Awarded once every few years, this major funding cycle injected lodging tax revenues directly into high-impact infrastructure projects designed to drive regional tourism, support economic vitality, and enhance community recreation assets throughout the county. The briefing highlighted substantial construction and operational momentum generated over the past 12 months. Backed by a historic countywide investment total of $12.5 million across these landmark initiatives, the 2025 grant recipients presented the following project updates: Kittitas County: KVEC Grandstands - $5,500,000 in total county support, combining a $2.5 million County LTAC debt service allocation with a prior $3 million lump-sum contribution. “We are at a very exciting time as our project is coming to a close. A lot of clean up and final touches are being conducted to be prepared for opening the facility mid-August for the 2026 Kittitas County Junior Horse Fair. All the seating work has been completed, the facilities are prepped, and now it's a matter of adding the final details and some special “Ellensburg Rodeo” touches. This project has been a tremendous team effort with so many county departments and community stakeholders at work to ensure this project is complete in time for the 2026 Ellensburg Rodeo”. -Kady Porterfield, Event Center Director City of Cle Elum: Washington State Horse Park: $3,275,000 allocated. “The Washington State Horse Park is incredibly grateful for the $3.2 million grant awarded through the Lodging Tax Committee. These funds will allow us to add RV spaces, expand parking options, and make other improvements that will increase our capacity to accommodate larger events and expand our tourism impact. Although the buildout is still ahead of us, the commitment to these upgrades has already helped the Horse Park attract new opportunities, including its selection as the host facility for the 2027 Northwest Regional Dressage Championships, previously held in Portland, Oregon.” - Wendy Hensley, WSHP Executive Director Upper County Recreation Center (UC Rec Center): $3,288,000 allocated: With detailed design completed and permitting underway, focus shifted to building the funding mechanisms needed to construct and operate the facility. Kittitas County invested meaningfully with a large Lodging Tax award and significant progress toward forming a Public Facilities District intended to provide financial support for ongoing facility operations. Once site ownership issues related to the City of Cle Elum bankruptcy are resolved, the project will be positioned to move forward with plans for construction financing. -Claire Nicholls City of Roslyn: Irrigation Infrastructure: $412,000 allocated: Under construction and will be complete by end of July 2026. Roslyn Tourism & Wayfinding Signage: $25,000 allocated: Going out for RFP by August 2026. By leveraging revenues generated through visitor stays, these investments represent a strategic cycle where tourism dollars directly fund critical, long-term county assets without placing a financial burden on local property owners. “One of the things I appreciate about lodging tax funding is that it allows us to reinvest visitor dollars into projects that serve our communities for generations into the future. These investments improve quality of life for residents, create memorable experiences for visitors, and strengthen the tourism economy which supports businesses in Kittitas County, said Commissioner Laura Osiadacz.” The updates provided during the meeting showcased how the county's significant financial commitments have successfully leveraged these resources to make long-term investments aligned with the 2025 Kittitas County Tourism Strategic Plan. RCW 67.28 allows municipalities to invest lodging tax revenues collected from overnight visitors into eligible publicly owned tourism-related capital projects. Lodging tax funds are generated from taxes paid by guests who stay overnight in hotels, motels, resorts, vacation rentals, Airbnbs, and other short-term lodging accommodations throughout our county. These funds are collected from visitors, not local residents and are used to support tourism promotion and activities that encourage more people to visit and stay in the county.
Kittitas County, from the Cascades to the Columbia, and online at http://www.co.kittitas.wa.us
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Contact: Laura Osiadacz at laura.osiadacz@co.kittitas.wa.us
