The first phase of demolition of the old Cardinal Stadium at the Kentucky Exposition Center is scheduled to begin today.
Workers will take down and salvage the stadium’s metal bleachers.
Last year, the fair board decided tostop using the grandstands because of safety concerns. The entire stadium has fallen into disrepair and engineers hired by the state have recommended all of it be torn down.
But fair board spokeswoman Amanda Storment said the financing for that is not in place yet.
"We’ve estimated that just for demolition alone, it would cost $3 million to take the entire stadium down. So that will wait on funding," she said.
The facility, built in 1955 and formerly called Fairgrounds Stadium, was formerly the home of Louisville’s minor league baseball teams and University of Louisville football.
More recently it has been used for the Kentucky State Fair’s free concerts.
Storment said a master plan is being put together for the entire fairgrounds facility that will include recommendations for the stadium space.
