The Kentucky International Convention Center in downtown Louisville will soon get a facelift in the form of a renovation and expansion, according to state officials.
A request for design and architectural services was issued by the state Finance and Administration Cabinet on behalf of the Kentucky State Fair Board and the Greater Louisville Convention and Visitors Bureau, which are joining to sponsor a takeovers of the exhibit facility.
With a hope to begin construction by 2016, a short list of consultants for the design work will be narrowed by Oct. 9. Projected budget for the project sits at $180 million.
In an effort to keep up with competition from nearby Nashville and Indianapolis, the renovation may help to retain some of the supposed 20 conventions and 67,000 hotel room nights Louisville missed out on last year, according to convention officials.
Key to the project will be to develop 230,000-square-feet of exhibit space as well as a large ballroom.
