FORT WORTH -- Without the opening of the Equestrian Multi-Purpose Building, the Will Rogers Memorial Center would have had a hard time staying in the running for some of the biggest horse shows, city officials say.
Not enough stalls. Not enough practice facilities. Not enough other amenities to handle the larger events.But with the dedication of the new facility Wednesday, 24 months after the City Council voted to issue certificates of obligation, that has changed, those in the horse industry say."Fort Worth has repositioned themselves as a venue you have to take seriously," said Dan Wall, executive director of the Oklahoma City-based National Reining Horse Association, who plans to attend the ribbon-cutting. "I can tell you in prior years, unfortunately, we did not see Fort Worth as a possible host for some of our major events."The association has one event, the Cowtown Classic, at the Will Rogers complex, but Wall wouldn't rule out bringing more to Fort Worth, including its "Super Bowl," the NRHA Futurity, now held in Oklahoma City.The 105,800-square-foot facility will have 740 premium horse stalls, exercise arenas, RV parking and 570 linear feet of tunnels. In June 2010, the city borrowed $34.7 million to finance the multipurpose center and other improvements. The city is using its portion of the rental car tax at Dallas/Fort Worth Airport to service the debt, which is scheduled to be paid off in March 2031, but did not go to voters for approval.The facility is at the southeast corner of the Will Rogers complex near University Drive and Harley Avenue.More improvementsCouncilman Dennis Shingleton, whose district includes the Cultural District, said that the improvements were crucial for keeping pace but that the city must do more to stay competitive, including finding a way to build the long-discussed arena for the Will Rogers complex. He plans to discuss that idea Thursday at the city's capital projects workshop, as well as a plan for redeveloping the Montgomery Street corridor."It's something we have to do for this city," Shingleton said.There are no clear-cut plans for building the arena, Shingleton said, but the city needs to do so in the "midfuture."The equestrian center was necessary to compete for major horse shows with cities such as Oklahoma City, Tulsa, Denver and Las Vegas, he said.And those improvements have already helped keep one major event and add another.The Appaloosa Horse Club board just approved a five-year contract extension with the Will Rogers complex for its World Championship Show and announced the move of the National Show/Youth World Championship Show to Fort Worth for 2013-17.For the national/youth show, which runs nearly two weeks with 3,500 entries, Fort Worth was competing with Tulsa.Economic impactSteve Taylor, executive officer for the Moscow, Idaho-based Appaloosa Horse Club, said the city reached out to the horse community and asked for suggestions.The new facilities, coupled with Fort Worth's popularity among exhibitors, have made it an easier sell to hold events here."We appreciate someplace that still calls itself Cowtown and where you can wear a cowboy hat down the street and nobody looks at you funny," Taylor said.David DuBois, president and CEO of the Fort Worth Convention & Visitors Bureau, said residents may not realize the economic impact of horse shows.Unlike the typical business convention, exhibitors tend to bring more people and stay longer -- most horse shows last seven to 10 days -- and they typically get out and see the sights.One study for the city found that 11 of the horse shows held annually in Fort Worth had an economic impact of $80 million, said Kirk Slaughter, public events director for the city."It's a big deal," said Mayor Betsy Price, who used to compete in horse shows at the Stock Show as a child. "Fort Worth has to stay current, and it helps us compete at every level. It brings in millions of dollars. It supports our restaurants and our entertainment venues, and it brings families and repeat visitors."Bill Hanna, 817-390-7698Twitter: @fwhanna