Kalamazoo County Commissioners have taken the first steps in a process that could net public money for the construction of an events center in downtown Kalamazoo. The proposed events center would be made possible through the use of tax-free bonds available as part of the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act. Before those are available, though, the county must be designated a Recovery Zone.

That designation is what county commissioners voted on Tuesday night. The designation itself doesn't do anything to propel forward plans for the event center. The county commission must decide whether they want to put a tax request on the ballot to pay for a proposed downtown arena. The bonds would help reduce the total cost.