news-record.com

WENTWORTH —  The N.C. Horse Council will present the results of an Equine Economic Impact Study tonight at Rockingham Community College.

The council will discuss findings and recommendations of the study, which evaluated the equine industry's effect on the state. Among those findings is that the industry has an annual economic impact of $1.9 billion.

The study comes as Rockingham County prepares to break ground on the first phase of the Horse Park of the South. That phase will cost $6.8 million and will include a covered ring with bleachers, 300 stalls and four show rings.

N.C. A&T, which has an equine program, is partnering with Rockingham County on the project.

The $13.5 million horse park will be built at Barnes Street and U.S. 29. It has received $1.5 million from the Golden Leaf Foundation and $2.4 million from the N.C. General Assembly.

The county, the city of Reidsville and the Reidsville Area Foundation are also helping to pay for the initial phase.

The meeting is at 6:30 p.m. in the Advanced Technologies Building at Rockingham Community College.