Lexington, KY - 2009: This was the year of finishing touches. The Kentucky Horse Park's new outdoor stadium and indoor arena were completed, and the park is now finishing construction on roads and sidewalks.
Ticket sales for the Games started in September. In the first two months, the foundation sold 131,000 of the approximately 400,000 reserved seating tickets available to people from 44 different countries. Some events are close to sold out, said Amy Walker, a spokeswoman for the World Equestrian Games Foundation. The foundation began the detailed planning for events as well.
"We've shifted from concepts and development to its coming," Walker said.
2010: Now begins the final countdown. The WEG Foundation will run a few more test events before the Games, and construction will begin on temporary structures - extra seating, extra stables and extra venues - at the Horse Park as well as beautification and landscape projects.
Starting in May and continuing through the Games, the Horse Park will host a new exhibit about the art of the Arabian horse. In addition, entertainment for the evenings of the Games will be booked. Both Spotlight Lexington and the Alltech Fortnight Festival hope to begin announcing in January the musicians and artists who will perform in Lexington during the Games. Spotlight Lexington plans to put on outdoor concerts downtown during the Games. So far, the city-sponsored festival has raised $250,000 of an estimated $1.2 million needed. The Alltech festival will publicize and coordinate acts at local music venues during the Games.
And, of course, the volunteers to help with the Games - several thousand will be needed from Kentucky - will have to be recruited and shown what to do before the events begin on September 25.