Officials hope a new $20 million arena will bring new opportunities to the Iowa State Fairgrounds.

The new 90,000-square-foot horse arena and equine center will be constructed in three stages and is scheduled to be completed by 2010 and have seating for 4,000 people. Construction will begin after the 2008 fair is over.

The new building will be attached to the east side of the Horse Barn and have a warm-up and show area for showing horses.

John Putney, executive director of the Iowa State Fair Blue Ribbon Foundation, which oversees all fund raising campaigns for capital projects, said the arena could draw larger horse shows to Central Iowa.

“Our current facility can’t accommodate the shows we want to come to the Iowa State Fairgrounds,” he said.

Putney points to national horse shows that could draw more than 1,000 people to Greater Des Moines if the fairgrounds had a larger facility.

“It would be a big impact for Des Moines,” he said.

An appropriation request has been made to the Iowa Legislature to provide $11 million of the $20 million needed to construct the building. Putney said they have begun to raise funds for the project.

According to Iowa State University, the state’s horse industry produces $852.5 million in goods and services annually. More than 145,000 Iowans are involved in the industry.