The Appalachian Regional Exposition Center will include a 90,000-square-foot multipurpose arena. Courtesy Wythe County
The genesis of the Appalachian Regional Exposition Center (APEX) in Wythe County was the desire of the Southwest Virginia Horsemen's Association to have a place for horse shows. But do not call the exposition center a horse barn.
“I think that’s what some of the naysayers were calling it, a horse barn,” says Jeremy Farley, the county’s public information officer. “We didn’t call it the Appalachian Agricultural Event Center on purpose. We called it the Appalachian Regional Exposition
Center because we don’t want to paint ourselves into a corner with one type of entertainment.
“Whether it’s a horse show or a bridal show, I think that our goal is to have a facility where it’s [possible to do] all of it.”
