Construction of the Alva Arena could be underway by next spring. Plans for the venue took a giant step forward Tuesday when financing was approved.

The pandemic put plans on the backburner for much of the year as the Alva Arena Authority waited for the USDA to look at their application for financing. Treasurer Todd Holder was finally able to talk to a USDA representative who said they won’t finance the full cost of the project. However, they put him in contact with the Collier Group, a company that often finances such projects through USDA. That discussion was fruitful.

The Tuesday meeting was...