With the support of Snohomish County Executive Dave Somers and the Snohomish County Council, Snohomish County distributed $415,000 of CARES act funding to three of its Public Facilities Districts for COVID-19 related improvements to help prepare the public buildings for reopening. 

The public facilities districts are Everett’s Angel Of The Winds Arena, Lynnwood Convention Center and Edmonds Center for the Arts — which together are responsible for $78 million in annual economic impact in Snohomish County. The funding will ensure these facilities will be ready to open when it is allowed. 

“The Lynnwood Public Facilities District and the ASM Global Management team at the Lynnwood Convention Center have invested considerable resources to ensure our facility has a safe reopening and serves as a safe place to meet for everyone,” said Janet Pope, Lynnwood Public Facilities District Executive Director. We are very grateful to the county for supporting that work by allocating the critical CARES Act dollars. We look forward to welcoming the public back to our facility and continuing our mission to grow the economic vitality of our region.”

The $415,000 CARES grant provided funding during a time when a full shutdown of these buildings has caused a loss of traditional revenue. Highlights of improvements include: 

• Lynnwood Public Facilities District upgraded their air filters and purchased equipment and supplies to make catered food service more touchless to reduce potential transmission of COVID-19. 
• Edmonds Public Facilities District modified its patron flow to allow for distancing of guests, upgraded restrooms with touchless fixtures and added HEPA air filtration to its performer dressing rooms while assessing and improving the air filtration system throughout the Edmonds Center for the Arts.
• Everett Public Facilities District installed state-of-the-art active air purification devices into the ventilation system across Angel Of The Winds Arena, Everett Community Ice Rink and Edward D. Hansen Conference Center to assist in preventing airborne and surface spread of COVID-19 and other airborne pathogens.

“We want to ensure these facilities are ready to open safely, since they an important part of our economic recovery strategy for Snohomish County,” said Snohomish County Executive Dave Somers. “We know our community is ready to enjoy the many opportunities these facilities have to offer, once the pandemic allows for their use. We don’t want there to be any delays when that time comes.”