She reported that the renovated venue has already booked medical business that might not have considered the destination before. These groups also want a state-of-the-art convention center. “Because of the hotel product, we’ve been able to…up our game in looking at the top medical association business because they want the four-star, five-star hotel product we have delivered that. Now, more than 6,000 rooms are within walking distance of KICC. Just a few short years ago, the area had only about 3,500 guest rooms. “ a whole new era for Downtown Louisville,” he said. Tourism is the third biggest industry in Kentucky, according to Parkinson. A time-lapse video streamed updates for meeting professionals to track the progress. The news was not released to the press until the clients knew, and she believes that strengthened pre-existing relationships and built trust and confidence. To hold on to these valued customers, Williams says she and other Visit Louisville staff flew to meet with clients to personally deliver news of the planned expansion. “I’m very happy to say that we did not lose one piece of business, that we were able to move them to another convention center during the time,” Williams reported. During the KICC closure, about 15 groups had to move. KFC Yum! Center downtown holds more than 20,000 stadium-style and Kentucky Center for the Arts offered a mix of rentable spaces before a fire closed it temporarily in June. They accommodated all those affected at one of their other facilities. Kentucky Venues didn’t leave anyone stranded. Secondly, she feels that “focusing” on the project was a key component to meeting the deadline and avoiding cost overruns. Ultimately, executives determined it was in their best interest to close because the conventions they had booked during that two-year period required use of the entire building. In an exclusive interview with Smart Meetings, Williams explained that the team evaluated two variables when weighing their options about staying open, at least partially, during construction. Church had the honor of snipping the scissors. Beck, president and CEO of Kentucky Venues Don Parkinson, secretary of Kentucky’s Tourism, Arts and Heritage Cabinet Greg Fisher, mayor of Louisville Karen Williams, president and CEO of Louisville Tourism and Stacey Church, general manager of KICC held the ribbon to the sound of one of the most recognizable combinations of notes in all of music-The Kentucky Derby call. You overcame obstacles,” he announced as David S. Landrum III, secretary of Kentucky’s Finance and Administration Cabinet. After shuttering its doors two years ago for a top to bottom $207 million transformation and expansion, Kentucky International Convention Center (KICC) in Downtown Louisville re-opened for business Monday morning on time and on budget.
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