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Photo: Churchill Downs Inc.
Churchill Downs Incorporated has announced it is investing approximately $60 million to construct a state-of-the-art historical racing machine (“HRM”) facility in Louisville. The 85,000-square-foot facility will be built at 4520 Poplar Level Road—Churchill Downs’ former Trackside (also known as the former Sports Spectrum) site, and conveniently located less than half a mile from the Poplar Level Road exit off the Henry Watterson Expressway (I-264). CDI’s request to offer exotic wagering on historical racing was conditionally approved by the Kentucky Horse Racing Commission this afternoon.
“With a state-of-the-art facility and new, innovative historical racing machines, we will deliver an exciting and compelling product for our customers in Louisville. This is a great opportunity for us to revitalize another area of our city while strengthening the Commonwealth’s equine industry through larger purses and greater incentives for Kentucky breeders and owners,” Churchill Downs Race Track president Kevin Flannery said. “Stronger horse racing means a stronger Kentucky.”
The company says the facility will create 450 new jobs for the local economy, including 250 construction jobs. An estimated 200 new full- and part-time jobs will be created to operate and manage the facility. Churchill Downs will hire both hourly and salaried employees in areas including operations, marketing, finance, food and beverage, maintenance, information technology, human resources, security and administration. Job fairs will be held at Trackside for the neighborhoods surrounding the facility and the Churchill Downs Race Track.
This announcement comes on the heels of CDI’s decision to relocate its TwinSpires.com business to Louisville from Silicon Valley, California, creating more than 70 high-tech, high-paying jobs for the city.
The planned facility will house two quick-service, walk-up food venues, as well as a bar with seating for 50 and large format televisions for guests to take in all the best sporting action year-round. The gaming area will open with 600 cutting-edge historical racing machines and a player’s club reward center offering special perks and benefits, including an exclusive parking area for loyal guests.
Construction is slated to begin later this year, and CDI hopes to open the facility by summer of 2018.
It’s the day of the Great Adventure Bay Race between Adventure Bay’s Mayor Goodway and Foggy Bottom’s Mayor Humdinger, but Mayor Goodway is nowhere to be found. PAW Patrol to the rescue! Ryder summons Marshall, Chase, Skye, Rubble, Rocky, Zuma and Everest to rescue Mayor Goodway and to run the race in her place.
Using their unique skills and teamwork, the pups show that “no job is too big, no pup is too small,” and share lessons for all ages about citizenship, social skills and problem-solving as they make several heroic rescues on their race to the finish line.
The Kentucky Center is the official Ticket Service for this production. Tickets go on sale to the public Friday, June 23, at 10 a.m. online, by phone (584-7777), and at the box office (501 W. Main Street, Louisville, 40202).
Ticket prices start at $22.50 reserved seating, fees apply. A VIP Package is available at $123.50 and includes premium seating, souvenir gift, and post-show Meet + Greet with photo opportunity including Ryder and two PAW Patrol characters.
PAW Patrol Live! – Race to the Rescue
Friday, January 5, 2018, 6 p.m.
Saturday, January 6, 10 a.m., 2 p.m.
Sunday, January 7, 1 p.m., 5 p.m.
The Kentucky Center
501 W. Main Street, Louisville 40202
Photo: Louisville Metro Office of Resilience and Community Service
Thanks to the generosity of local businesses, community organizations, and residents, hundreds of electric fans have been collected to provide heat relief for seniors and people with disabilities. A “Fan Fair” giveaway and resource event is scheduled for Saturday, June 24 from 8 a.m. – 12 p.m. at the Edison Center, 701 W. Ormsby Ave., Louisville, KY 40203.
Fans will be available for seniors 60 and older, as well as for individuals with documented disabilities, on a first-come, first-served basis. Fan Fair qualifications and guidelines are as follows:
- Person 60 years or older
- OR documentation verified by a physician of a disability
- Resident of Jefferson, Oldham, Henry, Shelby, Spencer, Trimble or Bullitt counties
- Proof of address and age
- One fan per household
A Resource Fair will coincide with the fan giveaway event to provide basic health checks and information from local resources. Participating vendors include AARP, Kentuckiana Regional Planning & Development Agency (KIPDA), U of L School of Dentistry, the local Long-Term Care Ombudsman, Louisville Metro Office of Resilience and Community Services and several other Metro Government divisions including the Center for Health Equity and Economic Development. Louisville pure tap® water will also be provided.
Louisville Metro Department of Public Health & Wellness and LMPD will also facilitate a ‘Take Back Event’ to properly and safely dispose of unwanted or expired prescription drugs.
Fan Fair is sponsored by KIPDA Area Agency on Aging and Independent Living and Louisville Metro Office for Aging & Disabled Citizens (OADC). These organizations joined forces last year to implement a fan drive and for the first annual Fan Fair in response to the numerous calls they received requesting heat relief.
This year’s fan drive ended June 16 with more than 450 fans being donated, and more than $500 in monetary donations received to purchase additional fans. Some of the many donors include:
- AARP
- CareSource
- Humana
- JenCare
- LG&E
- Lowe’s
- Senior Home Transitions
- 310 Tempering
- WLKY
- Numerous Individual Donors
- Local churches
WLKY served as the media partner providing both on-air and on-line advertising to promote the fan collection and serving as one of the donation drop-off sites. Lowe’s provided multiple levels of support including donating more than 200 fans and allowing the purchase of additional fans at cost from the monetary donations that were collected.
“The incredible outpouring of support we’ve received again this year is evidence of the outstanding compassion that exists in the Louisville community”, stated Sarah Teeters, Coordinator for OADC, part of the Office of Resilience and Community Services. “We hope to offer Fan Fair every summer if the need and the interest continue.”
“The support that the community gave this event last year was simply amazing and showed just how much passion our city’s residents have for others,” stated Jennifer Craig, Aging and Disability Resource Specialist for KIPDA. “This year’s contributions have once again conveyed the kindness that this wonderful city has for those in need and has once again exceeded our expectations.”
For more information about the Fan Fair event, visit https://louisvilleky.gov/government/resilience-and-community-services or www.KIPDA.org.
Breckinridge-Franklin Elementary School student Carymnn Blakely is a National Braille Challenge champion. The 8-year-old recently earned first place at the competition in the apprentice category, which included first- and second-graders. Carmynn’s mother, Rebecca Brown, and teacher Deanna Lefan traveled with Carmynn to watch her compete in the contest, which was hosted by the Braille Institute in Los Angeles.
“It was wonderful news to learn that Carmynn had won,” said Breckinridge-Franklin Principal Cathy Bosemer. “We are so proud of her!”
Fifty students from the U.S. and Canada participated in the national competition. The contest included spelling, reading comprehension and proofreading. Congrats, Carmynn!
Photo: Kentucky Cabinet For Economic Development
Gov. Matt Bevin, Kentucky Cabinet for Economic Development leaders Sec. Terry Gill and Executive Officer Vivek Sarin, and officials from KentuckyUnited will attend the 2017 SelectUSA Investment Summit in Washington D.C. this week, engaging with executives from companies around the world and working to develop opportunities for investment and job creation in the state.
Gov. Bevin is scheduled to speak at the summit on Monday, reaffirming the state’s commitment to building a welcoming environment for global companies and discussing the state’s actions to do so. Attracting international investment creates news jobs for Kentuckians and positive economic impact for communities across the state.
“We’re making tremendous strides in growing Kentucky’s business community. Already this year, we shattered the commonwealth’s all-time, full-year corporate investment record. Companies the world over are discovering our many advantages, including a central geographic location, a robust logistics industry, a highly skilled workforce, low energy costs, excellence in engineering and manufacturing and our increasingly strong pro-business climate,” Gov. Bevin said. “Business expansion in Kentucky is on a roll and internationally owned companies – which already employ more than 105,000 Kentuckians – and domestic businesses alike, are taking notice.”
The three-day summit begins Sunday at the Gaylord National Resort and Convention Center. This year’s theme, “Grow with US,” will focus on the nation’s innovative business climate.
Terry Gill, secretary of the Kentucky Cabinet for Economic Development, said the theme reflects across Kentucky.
“Kentucky’s success in attracting new corporate investment this year puts us on track to create the highest number of new jobs in a decade,” he said. “We’re helping put in place innovative workforce-development programs that ensure our current and future corporate partners can hire the skilled employees they need. These efforts adjoin the many advantages our state already offers to internationally based businesses.”
Kentucky is home to nearly 500 internationally owned business facilities, including manufacturing plants, corporate offices, logistics providers, service-related companies and tech firms and research operations. This year through May, the state announced nearly $1.77 billion in foreign direct investment (FDI), which is expected to create 2,160 jobs.
FDI accounts for about one-third of the record-breaking nearly $5.8 billion investment announced in Kentucky through May, as well as approximately 23 percent of the 9,500-plus jobs announced this year.
Hal B. Goode, president and CEO of the Kentucky Association for Economic Development, said the opportunities Kentucky offers for investment from international corporations will connect with the SelectUSA audience.
“Kentucky offers outstanding and enticing benefits for foreign direct investment and SelectUSA gives us and our partners in KentuckyUnited the venue to these opportunities to business influencers and decision makers from across the world,” Goode said. “In addition to the work by cities counties and communities across the commonwealth to prepare for economic development success, we will be promoting Kentucky’s recent policies and programs in workforce development and business-climate improvement.”
KentuckyUnited is a public-private partnership of state, local and regional economic development organizations, utilities and private corporations, formed to market Kentucky’s business advantages to site location consultants and companies interested in siting a new location, expansion or relocation.
SelectUSA, which promotes foreign direct investment in the US, will offer networking opportunities for state, regional and local economic development officials to make their pitch to global investors. Keynote speakers and exhibitors will be on hand to discuss various investment opportunities and to showcase how FDI is a driver of economic development throughout the nation.
In 2016, more than 2,500 people participated in the summit from 70 markets and 52 states and territories.
SelectUSA is the US Government-wide program that promotes and facilitates business investment in the US. The organization provides services to international investors of all sizes and US state, regional and economic development organizations working across the federal government.
To learn more about SelectUSA or the 2017 Investment Summit, visit www.selectusa.gov.
Information on Kentucky’s economic development efforts and programs is available at ThinkKentucky.com. Fans of the Cabinet for Economic Development can also join the discussion on Facebook or follow on Twitter. Watch the Cabinet’s “This is My Kentucky” video on YouTube.
Photo: Kentucky Labor Department
Labor Cabinet Deputy Secretary Mike Nemes visited Raytheon Company in Louisville today to present a Governor’s Safety and Health Award for working 1,384,573 production hours without a lost-time incident.
“Congratulations to Raytheon Company on achieving another Governor’s Health and Safety Award,” said Labor Cabinet Secretary Derrick Ramsey. “Working over 1,000,000 hours without a lost time incident is a great accomplishment and I commend Raytheon on their dedication to keeping their workers safe. On behalf of Governor Bevin and all of us at the Labor Cabinet, thank you for all of your hard work and commitment to workplace safety.”
Raytheon is a technology and innovation leader specializing in defense, civil government and cybersecurity solutions. With a history of innovation spanning 95 years, Raytheon provides electronics, mission systems integration, C5ITM products and services, sensing, effects, and mission support for customers in more than 80 countries. Raytheon employs 63,000 employees worldwide with their local Louisville branch now employing 330 employees.
“Our entire Raytheon team in Louisville is honored to receive this award,” said Raytheon Louisville Site Executive Ken Gyure. “Maintaining a safe work environment is a priority for us all and we will never become complacent when it comes to keeping our people safe.”
The Kentucky Labor Cabinet presents the Governor’s Safety and Health Award to highlight outstanding safety and health performance in Kentucky’s workplaces. A business may qualify for the award if its employees achieve a required number of hours worked without experiencing a lost time injury or illness. The required number of hours is dependent upon the number of employees.
According to a recent report from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), Kentucky employers reported the lowest incident rate for nonfatal occupational injuries and illnesses in the state’s history.
Based on a mathematical calculation that describes the number of recordable incidents per 100 full-time employees, Kentucky’s rate improved from 3.8 in 2014 to 3.7 in 2015 – reflecting the most recent data available. This rate has steadily declined since it was first calculated in 1996, when a rate of 8.4 was reported.
Follow the Kentucky Labor Cabinet on Facebook and Twitter for all the latest updates.
Pet owners have a chance to find out what goes on when they are not at home with June’s Free Summer Movie. The 2016 American computer-animated comedy film “The Secret Life of Pets” is the feature film at Iroquois Amphitheater on Saturday, June 17th.
“As the Free Summer Movies celebrates its tenth year, we have a fun film for everyone. It’s free to the community at the Iroquois Park Amphitheater, a state of the art outdoor facility,” says Councilwoman Marianne Butler (D-15).
The movie tells the story of Max and Duke and other pets in a New York apartment building as they vie for the attention of their owner, Katie. What follows is a series of adventures where they encounter other animals after getting separated from their owner.
The Secret Life of Pets features the voices of stars Louis C.K., Eric Stonestreet, Kevin Hart, Steve Coogan in a dual role, Ellie Kemper, Bobby Moynihan, Lake Bell, Dana Carvey, Hannibal Buress, Jenny Slate, and Albert Brooks.
Joining Councilwoman Butler as sponsors of this year are Council Members Rick Blackwell (D-12) Vicki Aubrey Welch (D-13), Dan Johnson (D-21) President David Yates (D-25), Mary C. Woolridge (D-3), David James (D-6), Cindi Fowler (D- 14), Cheri Bryant Hamilton (D-5), Angela Leet (R-7), Pat Mulvihill (D-10), Barbara Sexton Smith (D-4), Bill Hollander (D-9), Robin Engel (R-22), Barbara Shanklin (D-2), Madonna Flood (D-24), Stuart Benson (R-20) and James Peden (R-23).
The remaining summer lineup for “Movies Under the Stars” is as follows – all movies begin at 8:00pm:
July 15 – Zootopia
August 12 – Sing
Here is the lineup of Free Monday Night Movies for 2017 – all movies begin at 8:00pm:
June 19 – Madea’s Big Happy Family
July 3 – 1776
July 10 – School of Rock
July 17 – The Jungle Book
July 24 – Dial M for Murder
July 31 – The Wild Life
August 14 – The Legend of Tarzan
The Concession Stand is open for these events selling hotdogs, popcorn, ice cream and sodas.
To see all the great summer entertainment this year at the Iroquois Amphitheater, go to www.iroquoisamphithearter.com or call 502-368-5865.
Iroquois Amphitheater is located at 1080 Amphitheater Road in Iroquois Park.
