Watford City took a huge step toward adjusting to its growing population in the past week by breaking ground on a new events center. Although planning for the events center has been in the works for the past 3 years, the execution stage has officially begun!
The new space will be 224,000 square feet, and will house two ice rinks, a basketball court, two practice courts, areas for hockey and turf sports, gymnastics space, a six-lane lap swimming pool, a recreation pool with a water slide, convention area and auditorium. The convention space will be able to accommodate up to 1,000 people, while the auditorium can host up to 3,000 guests. In addition, the center will also house classrooms for the Watford City branch of University of Mary.
Why build the center now? Watford City has simply outgrown many of its existing facilities due to its rising population. The events center will be used by the new Watford City High School, which is currently under construction. In fact, the events center will directly connect to the new high school, which plans to use the facility for athletic team practices and physical education classes.
Funding for the $83 million project has mainly been footed by Watford City taxpayers, who voted to approve a 1.5% sales tax increase. According to a report shared by the McKenzie County Farmer, Watford City saw one of the biggest increases in taxable sales in 2014, with an increase of 39.44%. However, the city views this center as a worthwhile investment, hoping that once completed, the center will be able to host out-of-town events. In turn, the city's tourism will increase and so will local business.
As the city looks toward the future, so does The Glen at Hunters Run. Our one to three bedroom apartments offer the space you need for a young or small family. We are located just a 7-minute drive away from Watford City High School and downtown Watford City. Once the events center is complete you will be within just a short distance, while still enjoying a peaceful home environment!
Are you looking forward to the new events center? Share your thoughts with us on The Glen at Hunter's Run Facebook and Twitter pages!
Additional sources consulted:
McKenzieCounty.net
The Bismarck Tribune
The Dickinson Press
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