A public fieldhouse and event arena could be built in Lake Fork under a proposal aired on Monday during an Economic Summit hosted by the West Central Mountain Economic Development Council at Tamarack Resort.The 120,000-square-foot facility, called the Mountain Community Center, would provide year-round indoor recreation space as well as a venue for conferences, concerts and other events.Current plans call for multiple sports fields surrounded by a walking track, with the ability for future expansions to add pickleball courts, a swimming pool, an indoor gym and other amenities.“This facility is for our entire community,” said Donnelly resident Johanna Defoort, who is helping to lead a group of Valley County residents who have developed the proposal.“We envision that it would be open to all members of the public but can also be reserved for sports to practice, tournaments, family and corporate gatherings, and other events,” Defoort said.The Mountain Community Center would be funded by donations and creating an auditorium district that could tax stays in short-term rentals and motels up to 5%, under state law.“We’ve created a business model and a framework that won’t affect your individual property taxes,” Defoort said.
