A popular Centre County organization is seeking a multi-million dollar state grant to expand its operation.

“Everybody loves coming to our facility to show,” Grange Fair General Manager Darlene Confer, said.

It’s one of the best Equine Facilities in the nation and after a $1 million remodel in 2011, the number of horses they house increased by more than three thousand. Confer said the number of shows have increased, too.

“We have increased our shows from 18 a year to about 30 a year,” she said.

Confer said it’s becoming difficult to keep up with demand.

“We’re presently turning down business,” Confer said. “They just love our facility. It’s green, it’s open. The economic impact between 2011 and present day has been well over $50 million.”

Confer and her staff applied for an $8 million grant to expand. They want to add 300 additional permanent stalls, cover two of their existing outdoor pens to create a covered arena and add bathrooms and showers.

“Two of our shows last year were in the top 20 horse shows in the nation,” Confer said. “They brought in people and horses from 23 states and Canada. The economic impact for not only Centre County, but Pennsylvania, is just enormous.”

No word on when they may hear back about the grant application.