Cowlitz County Event Center Renovation and Expansion
In Progress
Permitting/Rendering (Now), Construction begins (September 2026), Construction Complete (Q2 2027)
Project Overview
The vision is to optimize and enhance the Cowlitz County Event Center to serve the Cowlitz County Fair and Thunder Mountain Pro Rodeo, other annually repeating events, and other users. Pursuing the expansion of additional meeting room, storage, restroom, and boardroom space, we hope to grow year-round utilization by attracting new users, events, and activities to the site.
Funding Structure
The CCEC project is fully funded through a combination of Public Facilities District reserves and Limited Tax Obligation Bonds. This funding structure ensures the project can be completed without the need for additional revenue sources while maintaining financial stability and responsible use of existing public resources.
Event Center Master Plan
To kick off Phase 1 of the Master Plan, improvements to the The Event Center are recommended and include modernizing amenities, updating technology, adding air conditioning to the Mt St Helens Expo Hall, and expanding the facility to provide supplemental breakout rooms and improved load-in/ load-out capabilities. We feel this will create a more cohesive critical mass of community and recreation amenities – enhancing the role of The Event Center as a hub of activity that contributes to both economic activity and quality of life of the County’s residents. It inherently allows for greater opportunities to commercialize uses. Some examples of this could look like various areas of the site being designed to accommodate food trucks, such as adjacent to the new hotel if a flex plaza is developed and/ or opportunities could be explored adjacent to the Farmer’s Market.