Home » President & CEO of new Downtown Lexington Partnership announced

President & CEO of new Downtown Lexington Partnership announced

Sweeney
Terry Sweeney

LEXINGTON, Ky. (Oct. 10, 2017) – The board of the Downtown Lexington Partnership has announced that Terry Sweeney will be the new organization’s first president and chief executive officer. The Partnership is a consolidation of the Downtown Lexington Corporation and the Lexington Downtown Development Authority.

Sweeney is currently the executive director of the Corpus Christi Downtown Management District in Corpus Christi, Texas. Prior to his current position, he was with Indianapolis Downtown, Inc. for 15 years, where he last served as Vice President of Real Estate Development.  Sweeney played a key role in the highly successful revitalization of downtown Indianapolis, where he was involved with over 400 downtown projects worth over $8.5 billion.

Steve Grossman, chair of the Downtown Lexington Partnership board, said, “Terry Sweeney will be an outstanding first president of our new organization. He has a proven track record of energizing downtown development in two different cities. His experience in strategic planning, economic development, and marketing downtown businesses and events is exactly what we need to launch our new partnership.”

“My wife and I can’t wait to get to Lexington. It is so beautiful and she has really missed the trees and green grass,” Sweeney said. He added, “Everyone was so welcoming to me.  I believe this community, this downtown, has enormous potential and I’m anxious to help make that happen. I’m very grateful for the opportunity to work with the great staff that is already in place and the many community leaders who obviously care deeply about Lexington’s success.”

Sweeney was selected by the board after a national search process yielded candidates from across the country.  Three finalists went through an in-depth interview process in Lexington that included dozens of downtown stakeholders. Mayor Jim Gray also met with each candidate and said, “Terry Sweeney will be an excellent fit for Lexington. With Town Branch Greenway, a new signature park, a new convention center and the restoration of the Historic Courthouse coming online, our City is ready to move to the next level. Terry has the know-how to help us get there.”

Sweeney, 42, is a native of Indianapolis, Indiana. He is a graduate of Wabash College, completed his Masters of Public Affairs-Public Management at Indiana University Purdue University Indianapolis, and did graduate work at American University. He plans to begin work in Lexington on December 4th, the same day as the Downtown Lexington Partnership annual meeting.

The Downtown Lexington Corporation has been marketing its members and the downtown experience for almost three decades.  The Lexington Downtown Development Authority has been coordinating downtown economic development and helping guide public projects for 15 years. The consolidation of these two organizations will provide a greater focus to those efforts by unifying all activities that develop and promote the heart of our city.