Be One of the First to be at the Center of Everything Louisville

If you haven’t visited Louisville, KY lately, you might not recognize it. The entire downtown is nearing the completion of a $1 billion revitalization. On virtually every corner there’s something new popping up—new Bourbon distilleries, new Southern-inspired culinary destinations and new places to explore.

But at the heart of it all is the completely renovated and expanded Kentucky International Convention Center (KICC).

After 22 months of construction and remodeling, the new KICC is set to reopen in August of 2018. Inside, KICC will feature over 200,000 square feet of contiguous exhibit space, a 40,000 square foot ballroom and 52 meeting rooms. It will also feature a state-of-the-art, 175 seat conference theater, advanced WIFI capabilities and LEED Silver Certification. 

But one of KICC’s biggest features is its experience-focused design. From inside guests can see a city full of one-of-a-kind attractions that await them after conference hours—all within easy walking distance.

For example, in the city famous for Bourbon, KICC is surrounded by four micro-distilleries; the Evan Williams Bourbon Experience, Angel’s Envy, the Jim Beam Urban Stillhouse and Kentucky Peerless Distilling Co. Just a few minutes away in the Butchertown neighborhood, Louisville is making American brandy cool again at the award-winning Copper & Kings distillery. And the distilleries don’t stop there. In 2018, downtown will welcome Old Forester and Michter’s Whiskey Distilleries as well as Rabbit Hole to the hip Nulu neighborhood just down the street. 

Still not enough Bourbon? There are 35 stops on the Urban Bourbon Trail—a city-wide cocktail and culinary adventure. Each well-stocked with between 50 to 150 Bourbons and staffed by trained bourbon aficionados.  

Speaking of food, from fried chicken to the Hot Brown to boundary pushing twists on Southern cuisine, you’ll find 130 restaurants within walking distance of KICC. Most of which have helped make Louisville one of the “10 Best New Food Cities” in America according to National Geographic Travel.

Also within walking distance of KICC is Museum Row, which features unique attractions for visitors to explore, like the Louisville Slugger Museum & Factory, the Muhammad Ali Center, Frazier History Museum and art galleries featuring new works by emerging local artists as well as touring retrospectives of established painters and sculptors.

To accommodate KICC guests, Louisville’s hotel scene has undergone some serious room service. From bargain to boutique, by the end of 2018, Louisville will have more than 5,000 hotel rooms within walking distance of KICC. The newest is the four-diamond Omni Hotel, located adjacent to KICC it will feature 612 rooms, 70,000 square feet of meeting space, a spa, two full-service restaurants, a rooftop pool-side café and a swanky lobby lounge. 

Be one of the first to see how Louisville, a city within a day’s drive of over half the U.S. population, has transformed into one of the most unique cities in the nation. To stay up-to-date on all the latest in Louisville, visit TransformationLouisville.com.

 

Partner Voices
Overview: The award-winning Orange County Convention Center (OCCC) goes the extra mile to make every day extraordinary by offering customer service excellence and industry-leading partnerships. From their dedicated in-house Rigging team to their robust Exhibitor Services, The Center of Hospitality brings your imagination to life by helping you host unforgettable meetings and events. With more than 2 million square feet of exhibit space, world-class services and a dream destination, we are committed to making even the most ambitious conventions a reality. In October 2023, the Orange County Board of County Commissioners voted to approve allocating Tourist Development Tax funding for the $560 million Phase 5A completion of the OCCC. The Convention Way Grand Concourse project will include enhancements to the North-South Building, featuring an additional 60,000 square feet of meeting space, an 80,000- square-foot ballroom and new entry to the North-South Building along Convention Way. “We are thrilled to begin work on completing our North-South Building which will allow us to meet the growing needs of our clients,” said OCCC Executive Director Mark Tester. “As an economic driver for the community, this project will provide the Center with connectivity and meeting space to host more events and continue to infuse the local economy with new money and expanding business opportunities.” Amenities: The Center of Hospitality goes above and beyond by offering world-class customer service and industry-leading partnerships. From the largest convention center Wi-Fi network to custom LAN/WAN design, the Center takes pride in enhancing exhibitor and customer experience.  The OCCC is the exclusive provider of electricity (24-hour power at no additional cost), aerial rigging and lighting, water, natural gas and propane, compressed air, and cable TV services. Convenience The Center is at the epicenter of the destination, with an abundance of hotels, restaurants, and attractions within walking distance. Pedestrian bridges connect both buildings to more than 5,200 rooms and is within a 15-minute drive from the Orlando International Airport. The convenience of the location goes hand-in-hand with top notch service to help meet an event’s every need. Gold Key Members The OCCC’s Gold Key Members represent the best of the best when it comes to exceptional service and exclusive benefits for clients, exhibitors and guests. The Center’s Gold Key memberships with Universal Orlando Resort, SeaWorld Orlando and Walt Disney World greatly enhance meeting planner and attendee experiences offering world-renowned venues, immersive experiences and creative resources for their events. OCCC Events: This fiscal year, the OCCC is projected to host 168 events, 1.7 million attendees, and $2.9 billion in economic impact.  The Center’s top five events during their 2022-2023 fiscal year included:  AAU Jr. National Volleyball Championships 2023 200,000 Attendees $257 Million in Economic Impact MEGACON 2023 160,000 Attendees $205 Million in Economic Impact Open Championship Series 2023 69,500 Attendees $89 Million in Economic Impact Sunshine Classic 2023 42,000 Attendees $54 Million in Economic Impact Premiere Orlando 2023 42,000 Attendees $108 Million in Economic Impact