Kentucky Exposition Center
| Kentucky Exposition Center | |
|---|---|
|
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| View of the arena | |
| Data | |
| place |
 Louisville, Kentucky
|
| Coordinates | 38 ° 12 ′ 0 ″ N , 85 ° 44 ′ 31 ″ W |
| owner | Kentucky State Fair Board |
| operator | Kentucky State Fair Board |
| start of building | 1950 |
| opening | 1956 |
| costs | $ 12,000,000 |
| capacity | About 30,000 places |
| playing area | Multipurpose flooring |
| Events | |
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Concerts, competitions, trade fairs |
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The Kentucky Exposition Center is a multi-purpose hall complex with a capacity of over 30,000 seats in Louisville , Kentucky .
history
Construction of the Kentucky Fair and Exposition Center began in 1950 when the Kentucky State Fair Board purchased 396 acres of land for $ 522,580. The plans for the completion of the project were set for the following year, but after numerous construction delays due to delivery problems due to the Korean War and local political disputes, the completion was. After a total investment of $ 12 million and six years of construction, the complex finally opened in 1956.
At that time, the Kentucky Fair and Exposition Center was the largest multi-purpose facility of its kind in the United States. It consisted of an arena ( Freedom Hall ), two exhibition wings (east and west wings), a cattle hall and a stadium (Cardinal Stadium). A golf course, restaurant, hotel and expressway were also on the property.
Newmarket Hall, home of the Kentucky State Fair Sale of Champions and the North American International Livestock Exposition, was built in 1968 for $ 233,000. On April 3, 1974, the KEC was hit by a tornado with a total damage of over two million dollars. In the next two years the east and west halls were opened and the Broadbent Arena built. The multi-purpose hall also functioned as a venue for live concerts by various US musicians and bands, such as Elvis Presley or Jackson 5 . The sports complex was also the home of the University of Louisville men's basketball team for 54 years. From 1984 to 1990, the KEC was renovated for $ 12.5 million and an additional 19,500 seats were added. In 2003 the site was expanded.
The Kentucky Exposition Center is the sixth largest facility in the United States and is home to the Kentucky State Fair, the National Farm Machinery Show, and the North American International Livestock Exposition, as well as the country's major trade shows.
