Sep 14 Business and Development Kentucky Exposition Center’s $180 million renovation will bring big changes Plans include expanding the north wing and tearing down the west wing to create room for more green space and parking. By Jacob Munoz Sep 14 Business and Development Major renovation planned for Kentucky Exposition Center Jacob Munoz
Mar 22 Local News Workman To Retire From State Fair Board Kentucky State Fair Board President Harold Workman has announced his retirement effective December 31st. He made the announcement during today’s regular board meeting. Workman says he was under no pressure to step down from the post he’s held since 1993, but questions were raised earlier this year about his future amid a decline in revenue […] By Rick Howlett Mar 22 Local News Workman To Retire From State Fair Board Rick Howlett
Feb 29 Local News Fired Yum Center Manager Hired To Oversee NCAA Games At Facility The University of Louisville has hired ousted Yum Center general manager Ted Nicholson to oversee the three days of men’s NCAA tournament basketball games to be played at the facility in mid-March. Nicholson was fired as the arena’s general manager by Kentucky State Fair Board President Harold Workman this week for undisclosed reasons. The firing […] By Rick Howlett Feb 29 Local News Fired Yum Center Manager Hired To Oversee NCAA Games At Facility Rick Howlett
Feb 23 Local News Fair Board Approves Lease to Reopen Kentucky Kingdom Property The Kentucky State Fair Board has unanimously approved a new lease for the owners of Indiana’s Holiday World to acquire the former Kentucky Kingdom property. Bluegrass Boardwalk is a Koch family company recently formed to pursue the Kentucky Kingdom park. Dan Koch addressed the board today, saying Bluegrass Boardwalk will be the new name of […] By Devin Katayama Feb 23 Local News Fair Board Approves Lease to Reopen Kentucky Kingdom Property Devin Katayama
Feb 15 Local News Workman “Very Confident” of 2013 Kentucky Kingdom Reopening Thanks to Dan Conti, Kentucky Public Radio The president of the Kentucky State Fair Board says negotiations with a prospective new operator of the Kentucky Kingdom amusement park are going well. Harold Workman told a Kentucky Senate committee yesterday that he expects the talks with the owners of Indiana’s Holiday World to lead to an […] By Rick Howlett Feb 15 Local News Workman “Very Confident” of 2013 Kentucky Kingdom Reopening Rick Howlett
Oct 10 Local News New Suitors Sought To Restart Kentucky Kingdom The Kentucky Kingdom amusement park has spent a second straight summer behind locked gates, as the state fair board seeks a new operator. Board officials say they’re committed to getting the park back up and running. It appears the park will stay closed for a third summer, with officials most likely looking toward a 2013 […] By Rick Howlett Oct 10 Local News New Suitors Sought To Restart Kentucky Kingdom Rick Howlett
Oct 3 Local News Lawmaker Optimistic About Kentucky Kingdom Reopening A Kentucky lawmaker whose district includes the shuttered Kentucky Kingdom amusement park says he’s optimistic the state fair board will find an operator for the facility. State Representative Jim Wayne says he was surprised to hear that negotiations with developer Ed Hart to reopen the park fell through last week. Fair board president Harold Workman […] By Rick Howlett Oct 3 Local News Lawmaker Optimistic About Kentucky Kingdom Reopening Rick Howlett
Sep 22 Local News Hart: Kentucky Kingdom Can’t Reopen In 2012 Louisville developer Ed Hart says there’s no way the Kentucky Kingdom amusement park can be reopened next year, but he’s willing to extend his interim agreement with the Kentucky State Fair Board and aim for a 2013 reopening. Hart says without a public/private funding partnership and a long-term lease in place, suppliers won’t be able […] By Rick Howlett Sep 22 Local News Hart: Kentucky Kingdom Can’t Reopen In 2012 Rick Howlett
Sep 13 Local News Hart: Time Running Out For 2012 Kentucky Kingdom Reopening The man who wants to reopen the Kentucky Kingdom amusement park says he’s close to securing nearly $29 million in private funding for the effort, but time is running out for state and local governments to finalize their commitment. Kentucky Kingdom was shut down early last year after its previous operator, Six Flags, declared bankruptcy. […] By Rick Howlett Sep 13 Local News Hart: Time Running Out For 2012 Kentucky Kingdom Reopening Rick Howlett
Aug 26 Local News Kentucky Kingdom Expected to Reopen May 2012 Plant life has weaved between the roller coaster tracks of what use to be Kentucky Kingdom’s major attractions, but the park is now expected to open next May, in a public-private partnership. Kentucky State Fair Board President and CEO Harold Workman spoke on Thursday at the annual joint meeting between the fair board and the […] By Devin Katayama Aug 26 Local News Kentucky Kingdom Expected to Reopen May 2012 Devin Katayama
Jul 28 Local News Hiring To Begin Soon For State Fair Jobs Hiring will begin early next month for about 275 temporary jobs at the Kentucky State Fair. The positions include maintenance and housekeeping staff, admission gate keepers, tour guides and tram drivers. Wages begin at $7.25 an hour. Hiring begins Monday, August 8 and continues through the fair’s ten-day run, which begins on August 18. Application […] By Rick Howlett Jul 28 Local News Hiring To Begin Soon For State Fair Jobs Rick Howlett
Jul 25 Local News Talks Continue On Kentucky Kingdom Reopening Plan Louisville Metro Government officials say they remain hopeful that the Kentucky Kingdom amusement park will re-open next spring. A financing plan proposed by Mayor Greg Fischer in May to reopen the park would include more than $17 million in city-issued bonds, but Fischer’s chief financial officer tells the Courier-Journal that developer Ed Hart may try […] By Rick Howlett Jul 25 Local News Talks Continue On Kentucky Kingdom Reopening Plan Rick Howlett
Jun 21 Local News Workman Says Deal Close To Reopen Kentucky Kingdom From Dan Conti, Kentucky Public Radio Kentucky State Fair Board President Harold Workman says he’s still hopeful that Kentucky Kingdom amusement park can be reopened in 2012. Workman told a panel of state lawmakers recently that the board and Louisville Metro Government are close to finalizing an agreement to re-open Kentucky Kingdom next year. He […] By Rick Howlett Jun 21 Local News Workman Says Deal Close To Reopen Kentucky Kingdom Rick Howlett
Apr 28 Local News Talks Continue On Kentucky Kingdom Reopening Louisville businessman Ed Hart and the Kentucky State Fair Board have extended their interim agreement to negotiate a lease under which Hart would redevelop the Kentucky Kingdom amusement park. The park has been shuttered since its previous owner, Six Flags, declared bankruptcy in early 2010. Hart’s agreement was due to expire at the end of this […] By Rick Howlett Apr 28 Local News Talks Continue On Kentucky Kingdom Reopening Rick Howlett
Apr 6 Politics Ed Hart: “Scratching My Head” Over City’s Ky Kingdom Decision The developer who wants to re-open Kentucky Kingdom amusement park says he’s not sure how to proceed after the city declined this week to approve a $20 million bond issue to get the facility back in working order. Ed Hart had hoped to use the money to partially reopen the park in 2012 and make […] By Rick Howlett Apr 6 Politics Ed Hart: “Scratching My Head” Over City’s Ky Kingdom Decision Rick Howlett