Lexington, KY - As the 2010 Alltech FEI World Equestrian Games draw closer, Lexington city officials and businesses are putting the final touches on what has been an arduous preparation process.
For this issue's Burning Question, we asked local professionals to share their thoughts on the long-term changes that have been driven by Lexington's role as host city.
Fran Taylor: "We needed to take a hard look at how visitors perceive Lexington, and hosting the Games forced us to do that.
If you look at similar-sized cities,
many have made major investments over the last decade to upgrade the quality of life and aesthetic environment
in order to
compete for business and tourism dollars.
I don't think most people understand that the costs
incurred as we prepare for the Games are long overdue investments in Lexington's future."
Bill Justice, Justice Real Estate: "Former president of the Bluegrass Hospitality Association, past chair of the Lexington-Fayette Urban County Tourist and Convention Commission, and current member of the Keep Lexington Beautiful Commission.
It is my firm belief that Lexington will benefit for years to come by all the work that needed to be done anyway. Streets, roads and utilities construction has caused a great deal of traffic interruption, but the end result is a nicer, cleaner city.
Lexington/ central Kentucky is a very, very special place, and it will be viewed for the first time, hopefully, by thousands of people. All of our local businesses will benefit in some way or other.
We will be prepared, and it's a job well done."
Arnold Kirkpatrick, Kirkpatrick & Company: "Civic pride is an interesting phenomenon. As has been stated repeatedly, the World Equestrian Games will provide a chance for central Kentucky to show the world that we are capable of hosting a major international event, but, more important than that, I think when we think back on them 10 years from now, they will be regarded as a catalyst.
The major effect of the Games has already been felt here for several years. Because of the renovations and upgrades that have been made to the Kentucky Horse Park in anticipation of the Games, a significant number of people who participate in the horse business in disciplines other than Thoroughbred racing and breeding have moved to central Kentucky, where they have purchased property, bought feed and tack, employed veterinarians, eaten at restaurants, gone to doctors, stimulated tourism and more.
In the meantime, it is to be hoped in 10 years the people who are cursing the Games today as they try to navigate the mayhem of downtown traffic will look back on the myriad of improvements, which are long overdue but are being completed because of the catalyst provided by the Games, and they'll realize that Lexington has been improved."
Hill Parker, principal broker, Turf Town
Properties:
"The best part of the WEG coming to Lexington, in my opinion, is that it made the Kentucky Horse Park do several major upgrades and new construction projects.
These upgrades have helped make the Horse Park, which was already one of the finest horse facilities in the United States, into the best, most well-rounded facility of possibly any place in the world. The end product is the Horse Park
has already become the home and
national headquarters of several different breed organizations.
The Horse Park is now attracting more shows from more equine disciplines and from different breeds then ever before. With two fabulous indoor arenas, the Horse Park is becoming not only larger but able to hold major equine events on a more year-round basis. For Lexington, this means more visitors, more jobs to support these additional visitors and equine activities, and a boost to our real estate prices on both farm and residential properties as more out-of-towners move to our wonderful city. Lexington should be proud of our growing influence in a wider range of the horse industry and thankful for the the controlled growth it will and has already brought us."