 |
| |
 |
|
|
|
|
|
TOURISM-
October 2003 by Timothy Hunt Sidebar-
The first and most obvious answer is they bring money into the area, to the tune of tens of millions of dollars. Convention centers create a sustainable base of business for the area – room rent and taxes, restaurants, tours and retail shops are all the primary benefactors where convention centers exist. But there are other less apparent benefits.
They
are major investments for any area to be sure, but convention centers
typically return their initial cost to the area hundreds of times over
the life of a facility. What they add to the local sense of pride is
incalculable. Presented here are the largest jewels in Kentucky’s
attraction crown.
The Center is also
near some of the best entertainment, attractions and restaurants found
anywhere. From the Newport on the Levee complex to the Hofbrauhaus,
attendees can conveniently access an amazing array of choices. The Newport
Aquarium and downtown Cincinnati are just a stone’s throw away. Home of the American Quilter’s Society, Paducah is an historic and friendly river city with 40 lodging properties offering 2,400 quality rooms. The area offers a wealth of historical attractions and is only 11 miles away from Harrah’s Casino in nearby Metropolis, Illinois. The area is also
adding the Four Rivers Center for the Performing Arts, a multipurpose
facility designed to accommodate all manner of events, artistic or otherwise.
Slated to open in early 2004, the Four Rivers Center promises to be
an interesting addition to Paducah’s offerings. The eighth-largest public facility of its kind in the United States, the Kentucky Fair & Exposition Center hosts over three million visitors each year. Featuring large facilities with diverse capabilities, the 400-acre property offers more than one million square feet of indoor space, including Freedom Hall, an indoor arena that seats over 19,000 people. The expo center accommodates an amazing spectrum of events year round and remains the permanent home for the Kentucky State Fair, the National Farm Machinery Show, and the North American International Livestock Exposition. Offering large facilities with diverse capabilities, the Kentucky Fair & Exposition Center remains one of the top 10 exposition venues in the United States. With over one million square feet of contiguous, climate-controlled exhibit and meeting space – all on one level – the facility will accommodate all shapes and sizes of events. Over 73,000 visitors can pour into the facilities’ two arenas and stadium simultaneously while meetings commence in the 35 meeting rooms. The 600-seat auditorium can host a more intimate gathering while 300 acres of outdoor demonstration space provides plenty of open area. The outdoor championship-size covered equestrian/livestock arena comes equipped with over 1,000 permanent horse stalls and an additional 720 temporary stalls. The Kentucky Fair
& Exposition Center is also breaking new ground with an expansion
of the South Wing. The new addition will add 237,000 square feet of
class “A” exhibit, meeting and public space to the facility’s
existing one million square feet of space. The project is expected to
be complete by October 2005. Rupp Arena, located within Lexington Center, is world famous as the home basketball court of the University of Kentucky Wildcats. Rupp also hosts such entertainment as Ringling Brothers Circus, Disney on Ice, and concert stars like Garth Brooks, Bruce Springsteen, and the Rolling Stones. Just two blocks away is the Lexington Opera House. This 1,000-seat theater, beautifully restored to its late 19th-century grandeur, offers a unique setting for special meetings and entertainment events. Several retail, restaurant and entertainment complexes– Victorian Square, Civic Center Shops and Dudley Square – are within easy walking distance. With the state General Assembly’s recent approval of funds to complete the renovation and expansion of The Lexington Center, work has begun on the final phase of the center’s $50 million expansion project. When complete, the project will result in a new look for the High Street entrance to Rupp Arena, mirroring the new exterior of the Vine Street façade. In addition, a vitally important conference area adjacent to the new Bluegrass Ballroom will be created, providing the Lexington Convention Center with an additional 20,000 square feet of meeting and pre-function space. It is anticipated that the High Street expansion will be finished by Spring 2004. The new Heritage
Hall Ballroom and Elkhorn Meeting Rooms adjacent to the Heritage Hall
exhibit spaces opened in March and have already hosted numerous events
such as the annual Mary Kay Cosmetics Convention, The American Guild
of English Handbell Ringers Convention and the Central Kentucky Home
and Garden Show. This facility is the largest, most versatile and most complete event and meeting location between Lexington and Knoxville. It includes a video production studio and full video conferencing capabilities. Located near some
of America’s top vacation destinations – including Lake
Cumberland, Cumberland Falls, and The Big South Fork River and Recreation
Area – the Center allows event or meeting participants to mix business
and pleasure in a naturally beautiful, slower-paced setting that few
facilities can match. Bowling Green is also situated in the middle of Kentucky’s cave country. Mammoth Cave National Park is only 30 miles away, as is Lost River Cave, home to the shortest and deepest underground river in the world. Cave Spring offers a fascinating collection of rare Native American cave artifacts and ceremonial drawings. All are within short drives of the city. Other attractions
in the area include Civil War historical sites and a water park. Now privately owned,
the facility is one of the major employers in the area and is a prime
example of the impact a convention center can have on a small city.
The facility plans to add an additional 70,000 s.f. of multi purpose
space by late 2004 that will allow it to accommodate national trade
shows and expositions. The expansion is expected to generate an additional
$25 million in tourism for the Owensboro area. |
|
|
|
Copyright 1996-2003, by Kentucky Business Online. All rights reserved. Editorial content
is copyright 2003, Lane Communications Group The Lane Report is a trademark of Lane Communications Group. All other trademarks are the property of their respective owners. |
Any
city of significant size has one, or so we are told. Conventions centers
are usually considered one of the crown jewels of any metro area and
Kentucky is no exception. Offering world-class facilities, the Commonwealth’s
convention centers are at the center of Kentucky’s prosperity.
But what exactly do they contribute?
Good
facilities bring more and better entertainment choices to the area,
improving quality of life for the permanent residents. Convention centers
also act as showcases of Kentucky and our way of life, helping bring
talented people into the state and attracting new businesses into the
area.
Northern
Kentucky Convention Center
Julian
Carroll Convention Center/Paducah Expo Center
Kentucky
Fair and Exposition Center 
Kentucky
International Convention Center
The
Lexington Center
Ashland
Plaza Hotel and Convention Center
Center
for Rural Development
The
Sloan Convention Center
Executive
Inn Rivermont