Lexington, KY - As someone raised in central Kentucky, I think I can accurately say that we are the beneficiaries of some of Kentucky's greatest distinctions. Within a short drive of Lexington, we have the finest horse farms in the world, be they Thoroughbreds or Standardbreds, and we are the undisputed home of the world's Bourbon universe, with the likes of at least six major distilleries (and the copious tax dollars they provide). These are both signature industries that make our entire state unique and are an important part of our past and future. Alas, what I can say from experience few others can speak to is that Lexington lacks a desirable performing arts center.
In the three years leading up to the World Equestrian Games, I had the pleasure of promoting a series of concerts across Kentucky for Alltech. My two twenty-something staffers and I travelled from Prestonsburg to Paducah, producing concerts in venues ranging from a few hundred seats to in excess of 10,000. What did I learn from this experience? When it comes to performing arts centers, Lexington is, in many respects, behind the rest of the state.
My colleagues and I were shocked to find, as we travelled across the state, that many of the small communities outside of our home turf have superior facilities to what we have, and as a result, we were very limited in the type of programming we could produce. A quick rundown: