Leaving Lexington with a lasting legacy of the Alltech FEI World Equestrian Games is the aim of the John S. and James L. Knight Foundation in funding a new agency that will oversee the development of projects that build community bridges and improve the quality of life in Lexington.
At a board meeting in Miami on Dec. 11, the Foundation approved a grant ó its largest ever in Kentucky ó of $2.55 million over five years to the Blue Grass Community Foundation (BGCF) to fund the creation of a new Center for Community Legacy Initiatives to help Lexington make the most, for the long term, of the 2010 international equine event.
"What we've found is that legacies associated with these big events succeed when they are driven by an entity like that," explained Laura Williams, The Knight Foundation's Lexington program director. "You have to have someone to ensure that things keep moving. Often the success is because of strong public/private partnerships.
The revitalization of the Third Street corridor