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The Kentucky Derby Museum announces a $6.5 million renovation and expansion project, adding over 11,000 square feet of brand new space and renovation of an existing 5,000 square feet. It will be the largest expansion of the Museum’s footprint since the building was constructed in 1985 and one of the largest renovations since a major refurbishing project following damaging flooding in 2009.
The expansion will provide a greater visitor experience for guests with an emphasis on new exhibit space. The recently acquired D. Wayne Lukas collection will be featured in its own permanent gallery. It also creates space to display key pieces of the Bill Shoemaker collection, which has been housed in the Museum’s archives for many years. The expanded second floor will feature other exhibits, plus additional meeting and rental space.
The Museum will build an entirely new third floor within the expansion footprint to house administrative offices, a large conference room and storage areas.
On the ground level, a new stable will house the Museum’s resident Thoroughbred and miniature horse. The area will include seating for educational programming. It also features more than 7,400 square feet of covered space that can be set for various events, including outdoor weddings, dinners, parties and more. With the addition of the new rental space, the Museum will be able to host events with as many as 1,300 people.
The Museum closed out fiscal year 2017 with a record-setting attendance number, welcoming more than 230,000 visitors through its doors, an increase of 5.6 percent over the previous fiscal year. The energy of that success compelled the Museum’s Board of Directors and leadership team to pursue an expansion project and enhance the overall visitor experience.
“We wanted to build upon the momentum of our recent growth and take the Museum to the next level. With this expansion, we’ll create a new, dynamic way to present our mission to engage, educate and excite everyone about the extraordinary event that is the Kentucky Derby to guests from around the world,” Kentucky Derby Museum President and CEO Patrick Armstrong said.
“The Kentucky Derby Museum is one of the city’s iconic attractions drawing both leisure and convention travelers looking for an authentic Louisville experience,” Karen Williams, President & CEO of the Louisville Convention & Visitors Bureau said. “The expansion and renovation will offer our visitors even more one-of-a-kind opportunities to enjoy the thrills and traditions of the legendary Kentucky Derby.”
Construction is set to begin after Kentucky Derby 2018 and is expected to be complete by November, in time for the 2018 Breeders’ Cup at Churchill Downs Racetrack.
Mayor Greg Fischer announced that Louisville has again been ranked a top digital city nationally, placing in the Top 5 in the Center for Digital Government’s Digital Cities Survey.
The annual survey, now in its 17th year, “recognizes cities using technology to improve citizen services, enhance transparency and encourage citizen engagement,” according to the center.
“In this changing world, we have to keep innovating to serve our citizens. Louisville has been a national leader in using technology and data to improve city services and create opportunity, and this recognition is another confirmation of our team’s hard work and innovative spirit,” Mayor Fischer said.
Earlier this year, Louisville ranked second in the Government Experience Awards from the Center for Digital Government for efforts to improve online services and access on the city’s web portal www.louisvilleky.gov.
The city’s Office of Civic Innovation is working to integrate city services with Amazon Echo, working to improve broadband services with companies such as Google Fiber (https://fiber.google.com/cities/louisville/), helping to remove barriers to digital access with the Digital Inclusion Plan (http://digitalinclusion.louisvilleky.gov/) and have deployed services on the IFTTT platform with the Smart Louisville initiative (https://louisvilleky.gov/government/smart-louisville).
“This year’s leading digital cities are leveraging technology to connect disadvantaged citizens with critical information and services, promote citizen inclusion in important government processes and share government data with the public,” said Teri Takai, executive director of the Center for Digital Government. “Thanks to the efforts of these innovative cities, citizens can now meaningfully interact with city government more easily than in any other time in history. Congratulations to the winners!”
This year the survey honors cities in five population classifications. Louisville placed fifth in the 500,000 or more classification:
500,000 or more population category:
1st City of Los Angeles, CA
2nd City of Albuquerque, NM
3rd City of San Diego, CA
4th City of Charlotte, NC / Philadelphia, PA
5th City of Louisville, KY
6th City of Denver, CO /City of Seattle, WA
7th City of Boston, MA / Phoenix, AZ
8th City of Austin, TX / San Jose, CA
9th City of Tucson, AZ
10th City of El Paso, TX
Learn more about the awards (http://www.govtech.com/dc/Digital-Cities-Survey-2017.html), part of e.Republic and get highlights from the winning cities.
Belle of Louisville named best of the best award winner from American Bus Association for the hard work and dedication of the group sales and marketing team giving careful attention to the motor-coaches when they arrive for their cruises.
More information can be found at the American Bus Association website.
Photo: Louisville Metro Parks and Recreation
Louisville Metro is looking for someone to donate the large Christmas tree that will stand in Jefferson Square Park through the holidays.
“It is always the main attraction of our Light Up celebration,” said Mayor Greg Fischer. “We hope someone will come forward with just the right tree.” The tree should be a spruce or fir, about 40 feet tall and well-shaped.
The city will cut and transport the tree to its prominent spot in Jefferson Square Park. Anyone interested in donating a tree should call MetroCall 311. The tree donor will attend the Light Up Louisville sponsor reception and be a featured guest of Mayor Fischer for the Light Up celebration.
Light Up Louisville is held annually on the day after Thanksgiving. This year, the event, in its 37th year, will be held on Friday, Nov. 24. The tree will be moved with the support of Bob Ray Company and LG&E.
Veterans Day Discounts Honor Those Who Served
Saturday, November 11, marks the occasion of Veterans Day 2017. In honor of their military service, many area restaurants are saying “Thank You” with specials, like free or discounted meals or meal upgrades, to veterans and active military personnel.
In order to qualify for the deals, veterans must generally present proof of service, such as a military ID, DD-214 separation papers, card showing membership in a veterans organization, or be in uniform. Requirements vary by business, so it is recommended that you check with the location ahead of time for details.
Most promotions are available only on Saturday unless otherwise specified.
- Applebees – free entree
- Aspen Creek Grill – free lunch Friday, Nov. 10 and Saturday, Nov. 11
- Bob Evans – free meal
- California Pizza Kitchen – free Entrée
- Cattlemens Steakhouse – free sirloin steak dinner
- Chilis – free meal
- Christi’s Café – 50% off meal
- Chuck E Cheese – two promotional offers for families plus a free personal pizza
- Cracker Barrel – free slice of Double Chocolate Fudge Coca-Cola Cake
- Dennys – build your own grand slam Friday, Nov. 10th
- Dunkin Doughnuts – free doughnut
- Famous Daves – Free Two Meat Salute
- Golden Corral – free dinner and drink Monday, Nov 13th
- Hooters – free Entrée
- Little Caesar’s – Free HotNReady Lunch
- Logan’s Roadhouse – free lunch
- Max and Ermas – Free cheeseburger with fries and drink
- O Charleys – free meal
- Ponderosa – free buffet
- Red Lobster – free appetizer or dessert
- Red Robin – free double burger and fries
- Shoneys – free breakfast buffet
- Texas Roadhouse – free lunch
- White Castle – Free Breakfast Combo or Castle Combo 1-6
Other area businesses may be offering discounts or other promotions in honor of our military men and women.
Kentucky artists who work in large two-dimensional formats are invited to submit entries for the exhibit program Reveal at the Kentucky Artisan Center at Berea.
Reveal will showcase one selected artist in the Center’s lobby from January 13 – April 30, 2018. Reveal exhibits are a regular part of the center’s exhibition schedule through an annual statewide call-to-artists.
The center’s Reveal exhibit program provides an exhibition opportunity for 2-D artists whose large works cannot be accommodated within the center’s regular retail spaces. Works must be for sale, cannot exceed 8 feet in any dimension and must weigh less than 50 pounds.
Each year the Kentucky Artisan Center develops and presents special exhibits to showcase work by Kentucky artisans. These exhibits may focus on a specific medium, theme, technique, or subject and often include artists and works not regularly on display at the center.
Information about the exhibit and an entry form are available by contacting the Center. You can also request an entry form and prospectus by mail from the: Kentucky Artisan Center at Berea, Attn: “Reveal” 200 Artisan Way, Berea, KY 40403 or by calling 859-985-5448. The deadline for entry is Dec. 2, 2017.
The Center features works by more than 750 artisans from more than 100 counties across the Commonwealth. Special exhibits currently on display include, “Get Ready, Get Set: Multiples in Clay” through Feb. 24, 2018. For more information about events call 859-985-5448, go to the center’s website or visit us on Facebook.
The Kentucky Artisan Center at Berea is located at 200 Artisan Way, just off Interstate 75 at Berea Exit 77. The center’s exhibits, shopping and travel information areas are open daily from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m., and the cafe is open from 9:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. Admission is free.
Attorney General Andy Beshear, the Kentucky Association of Children’s Advocacy Centers and Prevent Child Abuse Kentucky announced upcoming child sexual abuse prevention trainings in Bowling Green for organizations that serve children.
The Dec. 5 trainings at the Fraternal Order of Police Lodge, 150 Corvette Drive, are aimed at daycares, summer camps, churches and other youth-serving organizations with program evaluation and implementation of an action plan that will strengthen protocols and policies to safeguard children from sexual abuse.
There will be two trainings Dec. 5 – one in the afternoon and one in the evening. Those interested in the trainings may pre-register.
“Across the country every year, approximately 35 million adults in youth-serving organizations come into contact with more than 70 million children and teens,” Beshear said. “Through this training in Bowling Green we are providing support to many organizations in the state that are working hard to create and maintain a safe place for children, employees and volunteers.”
Staff from the AG’s Office and Prevent Child Abuse Kentucky will provide the training.
Jill Seyfred, executive director of Prevent Child Abuse Kentucky, said the organization will continue to partner with Beshear to protect children.
“The training will help us move the needle one tick closer to achieving our ultimate goal of ensuring our children are safe; not only in their own homes, but at school, summer camps and everyplace they go,” said Seyfred.
As a training partner, the Kentucky Association of Children’s Advocacy Centers will host trainings at advocacy centers across the state.
“Youth serving organizations are poised to serve as a first line of defense in the battle against child sexual abuse, said Executive Director Caroline Ruschell. “By implementing the right strategies, these organizations can create an environment that fosters open dialogue and reduces opportunities for an act of abuse to occur.”
The Office of the Attorney General’s Child Victims’ Trust Fund (CVTF), administered by the Child Sexual Abuse and Exploitation Prevention Board (Board), is providing the funding for the trainings. The board also approves annual grants from the CVTF to support child abuse prevention programs.
Last year, the board sponsored statewide trainings for law enforcement, prosecutors, social workers, community advocates, religious affiliates, parents and educators on how to protect children from predators.
Beshear said the new trainings are a critical next step in protecting Kentucky’s children – one that allows his office to provide youth-serving organizations information from the risk reduction handbook that Prevent Child Abuse Kentucky developed with the assistance of a CVTF grant.
Beshear said supporting the CVTF is a direct investment in our children and encouraged others to consider making a donation, which can be made in three ways:
- Through a private donation directly to the CVTF.
- Purchase of an “I Care About Kids” license plate at your county clerk’s office.
- Donations made through the state income tax refund check-off program.
Beshear reminds Kentuckians that everyone has a moral and legal duty to report any instance of child abuse to local law enforcement or to Kentucky’s Child Abuse hotline at 877-597-2331 or 877-KYSAFE1.
For additional information regarding the upcoming youth-serving organization trainings, please visit, http://ag.ky.gov/family/childabuse/Pages/trainings.aspx or http://www.pcaky.org/news/freetraining.html.