Travel spending in Fayette County was $2.02 billion in 2015
By Kathie Stamps
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
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