Could a multi-purpose equine facility be the impetus needed to buoy Franklin County's economy?

That's the question Ernest Bleinberger, principle of Strategy 5 LLC, posed to county commissioners last year. At that time he wanted the OK to apply for a grant to study the feasibility of equestrian businesses in the area.

His petition was met with success. With county support he recently obtained a grant for more than $20,000 in federal funds to study the feasibility of businesses based around horses in the area. The county will pay a $1,000 match to obtain the U.S. Department of Agriculture money.

Bleinberger, a Smithfield resident, said based on comments from Preston and Franklin County residents he's met with, the idea of an equestrian facility has been around for many years.

However, he said no one has done a study to determine the feasibility and how it should be done. He said he'll likely consider options including a mix of training center, arena, museum, residential space, retail space and hotel space in the project. In the process, he'll be interviewing stakeholders and conducting meetings to solicit community input.

Bleinberger is scheduled to meet with the commission at 9:30 a.m. Monday to discuss what they would like him to cover in the study. At a recent meeting, the commissioners said they have been contacted by parties interested in the idea who have specific questions they'd like explored.

The commissioners have made it clear they do not want to use public money to build such a structure. Commissioner Richard Westerberg, however, has previously said the commissioners are eager to attract more businesses to the area to build up the tax base.

Economic Development Specialist Kathy Ray helped apply for the grant. Ray said she's also been involved in obtaining the rural business enterprise grant money in other communities she represents, where it's being used for marketing analysis.

Ray believes Bleinberger's study will explore options worth looking into.

"The equine industry has a lot of money in it. … It's just the beginning of a study to see what you can do. You have a lot of people who play in the horse industry and some very seriously," she said.