Fans of soft-serve ice cream, Hunt Brothers Pizza and other treats served at Rupp Arena at Central Bank Center will need to remember a credit card or form of digital payment as the arena, Central Bank Convention Center and Lexington Opera House will no longer accept cash for parking and concessions.
The change takes effect following the conclusion of the University of Kentucky Men’s Basketball regular home season.
“As consumers have embraced digital engagement during the pandemic, we have a timely opportunity to create a better experience for our patrons while streamlining our own operations,” said Brian Sipe, general manager of Central Bank Center. “With new digital payment options, Central Bank Center patrons will enjoy more time watching the show and less time waiting in line.”
Oak View Group, the venue management and event programming company that manages Central Bank Center and the Lexington Opera House, and Levy Restaurants are working to upgrade payment processing systems across the complex.
Acceptable forms of payment include all major credit cards (American Express, Discover, MasterCard and Visa) and mobile payments (Apple Pay, Google Pay and Samsung Pay).Cashless payments will go into effect starting on March 4th at Rupp Area with comedian Gabriel “Fluffy” Iglesias.
Cash will continue to be accepted at the various Central Bank Center Box Offices and at artist merchandise stands.
Prepaid parking at the Rupp Arena Parking Lots will also be available as an add-on option through Ticketmaster.com for most events. Those who’ve already purchased tickets to upcoming events will have the opportunity to add parking as a separate purchase.