CONFERENCES
Alltech Conference Registration Opens
The Alltech ONE Conference is expected to return in-person to Lexington, Kentucky, on May 22–24, 2022. Virtual options will also be available, including live-streamed keynote presentations and on-demand track sessions, which will be released after the in-person event. Registration is now open.
Biz Prom Rescheduled
Commerce Lexington leadership has announced that An Evening With Commerce Lexington that was scheduled for January 27 at Central Bank Center has been postponed. In the notice provided to members, they announced, “By moving the event to Wednesday, April 6th, we are more assured of the opportunity to fully socialize and engage with each other during this large premier event. We owe that to you, our sponsors, as well as to our members and the community.” All existing reservations and sponsor commitments will be moved forward to the new date.
Emerge 2022
The 2022 Commerce Lexington EMERGE Conference is scheduled for Tuesday, March 8th, in person at Central Bank Center. This full day of programming for the region’s emerging leaders is designed to provide community education and professional development opportunities on a variety of topics through keynotes, panel discussions, and activities. Headlining this year’s conference will be Chris Clews, a speaker and author of the book series What 80s Pop Culture Teaches Us About Today’s Workplace. The morning speaker is Colene Elridge (aka Coach Colene), the CEO of Be More Consulting and founder of the EmpowHer Conference.
Kentucky WorkForce Summit
The Kentucky Workforce Summit will focus on what is happening right now in Kentucky — and what needs to happen going forward — to ensure the quality of the state’s workforce and improve the state’s economic position at home and around the globe. Experts from industry and government will share insights and information about building a talent pipeline of workers, creating employer-led collaboratives to address specific workforce needs, using data to make decisions about training and hiring, and developing programs that let people learn new skills while gaining experience on the job. The conference is scheduled for February 15 and February 16 at Griffin Gate Marriott.
UK’s Economic Outlook
UK’s 33rd Annual Economic Outlook Conference is set for Tuesday, February 8, 2022, from 8 a.m. to Noon EST, at the Central Bank Center. This year’s conference is in-person, requiring pre-registration. Mark E. Schweitzer, Senior Vice President of Research of the Federal Reserve Bank of Cleveland, will be the featured speaker of the conference. Dr. Schweitzer’s own research has focused on the macroeconomic impact of labor market developments and the identification of factors contributing to regional economic growth. The event is hosted by UK’s Gatton College of Business and Economics’ Executive Education Center.
SPIRITS
Kentucky Bourbon pours $9 billion into the Bluegrass economy every year and generates more than 22,500 jobs with $1.23 billion in payroll. Distilling also contributes more than $285 million in local and state tax revenue..
The news comes from the biennial report conducted by economist Dr. Paul Coomes and commissioned by the non-profit Kentucky Distillers’ Association trade group. This is the sixth report since 2009 that charts growth and challenges facing Bourbon and distilled spirits.
KDA President Eric Gregory said the study highlights how the industry has effectively transformed itself into a global and economic powerhouse over the past 12 years. “Leadership, partnership and a focused mission on working together and growing the pie,” he said.
“We’re thrilled that Bourbon is at an all-time high since the glorious Repeal of Prohibition, but we can’t let success or complacency curtail this strong momentum,” he said. “We have more jobs and distilleries than ever before, but we also have more competition from all 50 states.”
The study notes there are now more than 2,200 distilleries in the U.S. due to the booming craft movement. Ten states have more licensed distillery operations than Kentucky.
SPORTS
Lexington Pro Soccer, the USL League One soccer club awarded to the city of Lexington in October, has released a series of renderings of its proposed downtown stadium. The renderings, which were included in a submission by the club’s ownership team to the Lexington Center Corporation’s High Street Development Project, have been designed to the area directly across High Street from the Lexington Convention Center and Rupp Arena, bordered by Lexington Center Drive, Maxwell Street, and Poplar Alley.
Designed by architecture firm Gensler, the 6,000+ seat Lexington Pro Soccer multi-use venue and soccer stadium would feature 45,000 square feet of entertainment-focused retail with patio views overlooking both the stadium and Rupp Arena. A 160-room hotel, a 250-unit upscale, multi-family residential development, and integrated parking garages onsite in excess of the current available parking.
“Lexington is the ideal home for a thriving professional soccer club. We have all of the ingredients needed to make Lexington Pro Soccer one of the best teams in the league – except a professional-quality stadium,” said Bill Shively, Majority Owner of Lexington Pro Soccer and Managing Partner of iVisionary Capital Partners. “Our aim is to build a state-of-the-art, multi-use venue – centered around a professional soccer stadium – right in the heart of downtown Lexington. The development we hope to build would be a meaningful economic driver for the city of Lexington and the surrounding region, by expanding the range of entertainment opportunities downtown Lexington has to offer its residents and visitors.”
Gensler is responsible for the design of the Milwaukee Bucks Entertainment Block (Milwaukee Bucks), the Banc of California Stadium (Los Angeles Football Club), and the BMO Field, Canada’s first soccer-specific stadium (Toronto Football Club), among others.
“We’re honored to have been chosen to help with the design of Lexington Pro Soccer’s stadium, and we’re excited about the potential for a downtown venue for the club,” said Ryan Sickman, Principal with Gensler. “Location can play a significant role in the overall success of a new entertainment venue. The proposed location of the Lexington Pro Soccer stadium and entertainment complex is ideal, offering local residents easy access to the venue and contributing to the existing growth and vibrancy of the downtown area with designs for new retail, lodging, and entertainment opportunities.”
Lexington Pro Soccer’s inaugural season will begin Spring 2023. The club will play initially at a local collegiate facility.
This article also appears on page 6-7 of the February 2022 print edition of Ace.
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