Home » MRCK16: Lexington Center is focal point of growth

MRCK16: Lexington Center is focal point of growth

Travel spending in Fayette County was $2.02 billion in 2015

By Kathie Stamps

The Lexington Convention Center is set to undergo a $250 million renovation, including a new 100,000-s.f. exhibition space to better accommodate visitors from around the world.
The Lexington Convention Center is set to undergo a $250 million renovation, including a new 100,000-s.f. exhibition space to better accommodate visitors from around the world.

As one of Kentucky’s top industries, tourism had an economic impact of more than $13.7 billion in 2015. Travel spending in scenic Fayette County was $2.02 billion. Lexington and the surrounding counties of Central Kentucky represent all six pillars the Kentucky Department of Travel and Tourism uses in marketing and promotion: horses, bourbon, music, the arts, outdoors and culinary.

Last year, hotel room revenue was up 11 percent, at $173 million, with room nights booked through convention sales hitting 102,575. The growth was due in part to the 95,000 people who attended the Breeders’ Cup at Keeneland, but Lexington is no one-trick pony. Thanks to traditional and new attractions, Central Kentucky is poised to continue being a destination spot for travelers and convention attendees.

Frankfort Convention Center, located along the Kentucky River in the state’s capital, has a 5,100-seat arena and almost 17,000 s.f. of exhibit space across the street from the Capital Plaza Hotel, making it a convenient venue for sports tournaments, dance competitions, the Kentucky Book Fair each November, trade shows and legislative receptions.


Market Review of Central Kentucky 2016-17


At Lexington Center, a proposed major expansion put on hold in 2014 is back on track for a new, larger main convention space. The 2016 Kentucky General Assembly provided some money and authorized city tax authorization to back bonds for a $250 million project. The reconfigured facility will have a new 100,000-s.f. exhibition space, a 50 percent increase, said Bill Owen, president and CEO of the city-owned Lexington Center.

“This expansion will accommodate visitors from around the world who want to experience what Lexington has to offer,” said Mary Quinn Ramer, president of VisitLEX, which grows the economy by promoting Lexington to business and leisure travelers. Formerly the Lexington Convention and Visitors Bureau, the name became VisitLEX in December 2013.

The Lexington Convention Center had 209 events in fiscal 2016, with total attendance of nearly 275,000. The 53 conventions and trade shows the center hosted had an increased attendance of 20,000 over fiscal 2015. During the upcoming year, the convention calendar expects attendance of 20,000 at the Lexington Comic & Toy Convention, as well as 8,000 for the International Conference of Missions, among others.

Lexington Center comprises Rupp Arena, the Lexington Convention Center, the Shops at Lexington Center, Triangle Park and the off-site Lexington Opera House. Attendance increased to 84,000 people for the 143 performances in fiscal 2016 at the 130-year-old Opera House theater. In addition to Broadway Live and Troubadour Concert Series, local arts organizations using the Opera House include the Lexington Philharmonic, Lexington Children’s Theatre and the new Lexington Theatre Co.

ArtsPlace, a historical building downtown operated by LexArts, is home to the “Red Barn Radio” show. Weekly broadcasts of bluegrass and Americana music are recorded in front of a local audience and distributed globally.

Locals and tourists alike support arts organizations. LexArts was a beneficiary of Lexington Restaurant Week, a 10-day culinary event begun in 2013. Modeled after Restaurant Week that New York City originated in 1992, Lexington’s version has become “an event we can look forward to now, year after year,” according to Connie Jo Miller, owner of Group CJ, the agency orchestrating the event.

And then there is The Glitz at Irish Acres, an example of a restaurant – and antique gallery – being an attraction in and of itself. Located in a classic former Woodford County schoolhouse, locally sourced foods are prepared for lunch.

Nearly 900,000 people toured the Kentucky Bourbon Trail distillery tour in 2015. Four of the 10 distilleries are in Central Kentucky: Town Branch Distillery in Lexington; Woodford Reserve in Versailles; and both Four Roses and Wild Turkey in Lawrenceburg. There’s also a newer beverage tour in Central Kentucky called the Brewgrass Trail that features eight craft breweries, six of which are in Lexington, plus one each in Paris and Danville.

From bourbon to horses, the Kentucky Horse Park is gearing up for an important celebration March 29, 2017, on the 100th anniversary of a famous Thoroughbred’s birth, none other than Man o’ War. The park hosts approximately 200 special events and horse shows throughout the year.

In honor of its 40th anniversary in downtown Lexington, Rupp Arena is getting “some very important and monumental upgrades to our video technology, audio and other technologies,” said Lexington Center CEO Owen. The arena’s $15 million upgrade brought a new center video scoreboard array with a state-of-the-art audio and public-address system, and will soon have high-speed wireless in the entire complex.

When the University of Kentucky men’s basketball team isn’t on the floor, the KHSAA Sweet 16 tournament or the NCAA women’s regional tournament is, or Ringling Bros. Circus or Disney on Ice, or any number of music acts and performing artists – 70 events in fiscal 2016, with 837,360 people in attendance.

Owen expects a three- to four-year process for the phases of the new convention center and exhibit hall.

“The Lexington Convention Center is the key component for recruiting conventions,” said VisitLEX’s Ramer, “and with this expansion, we predict a significant amount of private investment will follow this public investment in the tourism industry.”

Meeting & Convention Facilities

Apiary Catering & Events

the-apiary.com

ArtsPlace

lexarts.org/about-us/facilities/artsplace

Barrel House/Grand Reserve

grandreserveevents.com

Beaumont Inn

Harrodsburg – beaumontinn.com

Berry Mansion

Frankfort

historicproperties.ky.gov/hp/bm/Pages/default.aspx

Best Western Regency Inn

bestwestern.com

Blue Grass Airport

bluegrassairport.com

Boone Tavern

Berea – boonetavernhotel.com

Bright Leaf Golf Resort

Harrodsburg – brightleafgolfresort.com

Buffalo Trace Distillery

Frankfort – buffalotrace.com

Campbell House Lexington, Curio Collection by Hilton

thecampbellhouse.com

Capital Plaza Hotel

Frankfort – capitalplazaky.com

Carrick House

carrickhouse.com

Clarion Hotel Convention Center North

clarionhotellex.com

Crowne Plaza – The Campbell House

crowneplaza.com

Doubletree Guest Suites by Hilton Lexington

doubletree.hilton.com

Embassy Suites by Hilton Lexington

embassysuites.hilton.com

Fasig-Tipton

fasigtipton.com

Frankfort Convention Center

Frankfort – frankfortconventioncenter.com

Georgetown College Conference Center

georgetowncollege.edu/conference

Griffin Gate Marriott Resort & Spa

marriott.com

Headley-Whitney Museum

headley-whitney.org

Hilary J. Boone Center

uky.edu/BooneCenter

Hilton Lexington Downtown

lexingtondowntownhotel.com

Hyatt Regency Lexington

lexington.hyatt.com

Keeneland and Keene Barn

keeneland.com

Kentucky Artisan Center at Berea

Berea – kyartisancenter.ky.gov

Kentucky Horse Park

kyhorsepark.com

Kentucky Theater

kentuckytheater.com

Lexington Convention Center

lexingtoncenter.com

The Livery

liverylex.com

Ramada Conference Center

ramada.com

Shaker Village of Pleasant Hill

Harrodsburg – shakervillageky.org

Spindletop Hall

spindletophall.org

The Thoroughbred Center

thoroughbred-center.com

Woodford Reserve Distillery

Versailles – woodfordreserve.com

Attractions

African Cemetery No. 2

Historic burial grounds

uky.edu/Projects/AfricanCem

The Arboretum – State Botanical Garden of Kentucky

ca.uky.edu/arboretum

Ashland, the Henry Clay Estate

Home of U.S. House Speaker, Senator, statesman

henryclay.org

Aviation Museum of Kentucky

Blue Grass Airport

aviationky.org

Bluegrass Heritage Museum

Winchester – bgheritage.com

Camp Nelson

Civil War Heritage Park

Nicholasville – campnelson.org

Cane Ridge Meeting House

Site of famous 1801 revival

Paris – caneridge.org

Capital City Museum

Frankfort – capitalcitymuseum.com

Central Bank Thursday Night Live

Weekly downtown concert

downtownlex.com

Commonwealth Stadium

University of Kentucky football stadium

ukathletics.com

Daniel Boone’s Grave

Final resting place of noted pioneer

Frankfort Cemetery

Boone Station State Historic Site

With one-mile self-guided trail

parks.ky.gov/parks/historicsites/boone-station

Boyd Orchards

Versailles – boydorchards.com

Constitution Square State Historic Site

Site of 10 state constitutional conventions

Danville –

parks.ky.gov/parks/historicsites/constitution-square

Daniel Boone Pioneer Festival

Winchester – danielboonepioneerfestival.com

Duncan Tavern

Three-story stone tavern, built 1788

Paris – duncantavern.com

Explorium of Lexington

Hands-on children’s museum

explorium.com

First African Baptist Church

Founded 1790

nps.gov/nr/travel/lexington/fab.htm

Fort Boonesborough State Park

Reconstructed pioneer fort

Richmond – parks.ky.gov

Governor’s Mansion

Frankfort – governorsmansion.ky.gov/

Henry Clay’s Law Office

Built in 1803

nps.gov/nr/travel/lexington/hco.htm

High Bridge Historic Park

Landmark railroad bridge

Kentucky River near Wilmore

Hopewell Museum

Bourbon County art and history

Paris – hopewellmuseum.org

Hummel Planetarium

Richmond – planetarium.eku.edu

Hunt-Morgan House

1814 home of state’s first millionaire

bluegrasstrust.org/hunt-morgan.html

Jack Jouett House

Home of “Paul Revere of the South”

Versailles – jouetthouse.org

Kentucky Artisan Center at Berea

Berea – kyartisancenter.ky.gov

Kentucky Bourbon Trail

Tour legendary distilleries

kybourbontrail.com

Kentucky Doll & Toy Museum

Carlisle – kydollandtoymuseum.com

Kentucky Horse Park

kyhorsepark.com

Kentucky Military History Museum

Frankfort – history.ky.gov

Kentucky State Capitol

Beaux Art structure, completed 1909

Frankfort – historicproperties.ky.gov/hp/capitol/

Latrobe’s Pope Villa

Designed by father of American architecture

bluegrasstrust.org/popevilla.html

Lexington Farmers Market

lexingtonfarmersmarket.com

Lexington Legends

Minor league baseball

milb.com/index.jsp?sid=t495

Lexington Lions Bluegrass Fair

lionsclubbluegrassfair.com

Liberty Hall Historic Site

Frankfort – libertyhall.org

Mary Todd Lincoln House

mtlhouse.org

McConnell Springs

Campsite of first settlers, nature sanctuary

mcconnellsprings.org

Isaac Murphy Memorial Art Garden

Celebrates famous African American jockey

isaacmurphy.org

Natural Bridge State Resort Park

Home of unique sandstone arch

parks.ky.gov

Norton Center for the Arts

Danville – nortoncenter.com

Old Fort Harrod State Park

Replica of original settlement

parks.ky.gov/parks/recreationparks/fort-harrod/

Old Friends Farm

Thoroughbred retirement facility

oldfriendsequine.org

Old Governor’s Mansion

Built 1797-98

Frankfort – historicproperties.ky.gov/hp/ogm/

Perryville Battlefield State Historic Site

State’s largest Civil War battle

Perryville – parks.ky.gov

Raven Run Nature Sanctuary

lexingtonky.gov

Rev. Jesse R. Ziegler House

Designed by Frank Lloyd Wright

Frankfort

RunTheBluegrass Half Marathon

Lexington’s only half marathon

runthebluegrass.org

Roots & Heritage Festival

rootsfestky.com

Rupp Arena

Home of UK men’s basketball team

rupparena.com

Salato Wildlife Education Center

Explore Kentucky plants, animals

Frankfort

fw.ky.gov/navigation.aspx?cid=130

Shaker Village of Pleasant Hill

Restored Shaker community, farm

Harrodsburg – shakervillageky.org

Southern Lights

Holiday lights display

Kentucky Horse Park

khpfoundation.org

Spindletop Hall
spindletophall.org

Thomas D. Clark Center for Kentucky History

Frankfort – history.ky.gov

Thoroughbred Breeders Museum, Inc.

Preserving history of Thoroughbred breeding farms

Paris – tbmuseum.org

Thoroughbred Park

Downtown tribute to the racehorse

triangleparklexington.org/?page_id=126

Valley View Ferry

Ferry crossing Kentucky River since 1785

Fayette, Jessamine and Madison counties

lexingtonky.gov/index.aspx?page=662

Ward Hall

Antebellum Greek Revival mansion

Georgetown – wardhall.net

Waveland State Historic Site

Greek Revival mansion

parks.ky.gov/parks/historicsites/waveland

William Whitley House State Historic Site

Kentucky’s first brick home

parks.ky.gov/parks/historicsites/william-whitley/

Woodford County Historical Society Museum

Versailles – woodfordkyhistory.org