The Lancaster County Agricultural Society is proposing a scaled-down expansion plan for the Lancaster Event Center aimed at accommodating larger events.

The $8 million project would double the number of horse stalls on the center grounds, add 750-900 paved parking stalls, add a new pavilion and put a roof on an outdoor arena.

It wouldn’t, however, add a new arena, as was proposed two years ago in an $18 million to $20 million expansion plan.

The Event Center is booked every weekend of the year, sometimes with as many as three events at once.

But Event Center Manager Ron Snover said he still has to turn away events weekly because the center doesn’t have enough horse stalls or enough arena space.

With a new pavilion and the horse stalls that come with it, Snover said he could attract major regional horse shows as well as rodeos and truck and car shows that  don’t work in the existing facilities.

He also said putting a roof on the Amy Countryman outdoor arena would allow the Event Center to hold trade shows and horse shows simultaneously in winter months, something it rarely does now.

“It would make it a better year-round facility,” he said.

Snover said the expansion would also help accommodate growth of the Lancaster County Fair, which had an attendance of 67,000 last year; more than 70,000 people are expected to attend this year.

The Ag Society is proposing to pay for the Event Center expansion by issuing bonds, which would have to be approved by the Lancaster County Board.

Some county commissioners expressed skepticism over that prospect at a meeting Thursday.

Commissioner Ray Stevens noted that even though projections show net operating revenue could triple after the expansion, the facility would still show a net loss after accounting for depreciation.

Commissioner Bernie Heier, after pointing out that the Event Center cost about three times as much to build as was originally estimated, asked whether $8 million was a “firm” estimate.

“If I’m going to vote on this, I want to be firm on what’s going on,” he said.

“We’re not only firm, we’re convinced” of the estimate, said Bruce Bailey of Design Associates, the firm that designed the expansion.

Commissioner Larry Hudkins was a bit more optimistic, noting that while concert tickets sold at a large arena would mostly benefit performing acts and ticket brokers, spending related to horse shows and trade shows benefits the local economy.

“That’s economic development in my book,” he said. “You do that very good at the Event Center.”

Commissioners gave no indication Thursday on when a vote on bonds for the project might be scheduled.

If a bond is approved, Snover said the expansion could be completed in about eight to 10 months.

Reach Matt Olberding at 473-2647 or molberding@journalstar.com.