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One of the most significant construction projects in Keeneland’s history is on schedule for completion next fall.
That’s what Keeneland President and CEO Shannon Arvin told the Herald-Leader on Wednesday during a wide-ranging interview at the Lexington racetrack.
Last October, Keeneland announced plans for a significant expansion project, which called for the construction of a new, permanent Paddock Building that would stretch the length of the existing Paddock and Walking Ring. The project also called for new dining options and seating areas for patrons.
Construction on the project began in January and is slated to be completed next September, according to Arvin.
“There definitely was some trepidation as we worked through the process,” Arvin told the Herald-Leader. “But our team is very close knit. Once we got to the conclusion that we wanted to do the project, and we knew to our core the reasons for doing the project, I think we all have felt a sense of peace that we know this is the right thing to do. Because we’re doing it for the right reasons for the benefit of the sport, the benefit of our patrons and the benefit of our community.”
This endeavor is the largest capital project undertaken since Keeneland opened in 1936, and it’s the track’s first major construction event since the Keeneland Library was built in 2002.
While plenty is changing with the construction, Arvin said a major goal of the project — which is overseen by global design firm Populous — is to ensure the new amenities blend in with Keeneland’s existing environment. This includes having the new structures be “architecturally consistent” with the Clubhouse and Grandstand at Keeneland, as well as maintaining the track’s signature stonework.
“If this project is successful, that (new) building would look like it’s always been there,” Arvin said, adding that Keeneland is repurposing stone from old structures, such as the former office building and drive-thru betting facility, as part of the ongoing construction.
Racing and sales at Keeneland have continued at full capacity with construction underway. This year, Keeneland has hosted its annual Spring and Fall Meets, as well as a record-breaking September Yearling Sale, while construction progress has been made.
The Fall Meet was to conclude Saturday evening.
As a result of this project, about 1,400 more ticketed experiences will be available to race fans during the Spring and Fall Meets. Keeneland hasn’t yet released pricing details for these experiences.
“We have a supply and demand issue, because our tickets for the public seating sell out in about eight minutes,” said Arvin, who started in her current role at Keeneland in January 2021. “ … We feel like part of our obligation and our mission is to expose as many people to this awesome sport as we can. So we really wanted to be able to provide different, unique, quality experiences to the public.”
Keeneland often hosts more than 20,000 fans on race days, but the track no longer keeps a daily attendance count.
Previously, Keeneland said the construction project was expected to cost about $93 million. On Wednesday, Arvin said “we’re not exactly on budget, but we’re close.”
“We have gone to the state and asked for some benefits from the tourism development board, which has been useful,” Arvin said. “They’ve been very open and supportive of the project.”
Last fall, Keeneland said it received preliminary approval from the Kentucky Tourism Development Finance Authority for more than $23 million in incentives to support the project. Also last fall, the Lexington-Fayette Urban County Council voted to approve an incentive package for Keeneland.
What is being built at Keeneland?
The most notable addition to Keeneland from the ongoing construction project is a new Paddock Building, which will wrap around the track’s existing Paddock and Walking Ring.
The new Paddock Building will also establish a new East Gate entrance at the track and will align with Keeneland Boulevard. The East Gate entrance at Keeneland is currently inaccessible due to construction.
Sit-down dining, bar concepts and a rooftop area that would offer drinks and food are all planned as part of the new Paddock Building.
According to an application letter submitted by Keeneland to Lexington planning authorities, the new paddock chalet will have “over 100,000 square feet of space and capacity to host up to 1,657 additional guests each day with dining and beverage options, event spaces, usable rooftop space overlooking the paddocks and serve as a main public entrance to the racetrack.”
The creation of the three-level Paddock Building also means that Keeneland’s saddling stalls are being repositioned to the ground level of the new structure. In this spot, patrons will have a closer view of the saddling process, and there will be more space for the saddling process to occur.
“We don’t do anything or make any changes without having equine safety first and foremost at the top of our list,” Arvin said.
A new Jockeys Quarters is also being built within the new Paddock Building. Patrons will be able to watch jockeys walk through a dining room in the Paddock Building, before and after each race, starting next fall.
In addition to the Paddock Building, the construction project also calls for a new two-story operations building that will be built within walking distance of the racetrack. Keeneland’s business and operations teams will work out of this space.
On Wednesday, Arvin said Keeneland is also planning to build an on-site Visitors Center.
“We are getting further down the road with the Paddock Building before we go too far into details with (a Visitors Center),” Arvin said. “But we have a lot of exciting ideas about the Visitors Center that you’ll be hearing more about soon.”
The Herald-Leader previously reported that Keeneland has applied for permits with the city of Lexington to build a 5,400-square-foot Visitors Center in an existing pony barn off Keeneland Boulevard opposite the Keene Barn, library and a stone house.
Keeneland is balancing the old, and the new with construction
Arvin said Keeneland took inspiration from Belmont Park in New York, Churchill Downs in Louisville and Ascot Racecourse in England when determining how to go about the construction process.
“Definitely anytime that you take a project like this, at a location like Keeneland, you’re taking a risk,” Arvin said. “But we got really comfortable just because we were guided back to our mission, which is to increase the interest in the sport, be a model racetrack, be a model sales company. This building, we’ll be able to use (it) for both our race meets and also our sales, where we host people from 50 different countries. We want our patrons to have the best experience they can in sales, as well.”
While Keeneland remains a cherished tradition for Central Kentucky residents, there are also major international influences from the events hosted at the facility.
This fall, an economic impact study conducted by the University of Louisville’s Departments of Equine Administration and Economics said that 64% of horse racing fans in attendance at Keeneland’s Spring and Fall Meets come from outside the commonwealth.
According to the study, those out-of-state visitors spend an estimated $190 million on local restaurants, hotels, attractions, retail shops, transportation providers, area businesses and more. In the study, Keeneland estimated its total economic impact on Lexington and the surrounding counties at $1.6 billion in 2023.
Keeneland’s annual sales are also major economic drivers. According to the study, 67% of Keeneland Sales participants come from outside Kentucky and 24% are international visitors. Last month’s September Yearling Sale at Keeneland saw more than $427 million in sales.
“That’s just a tremendous economic impact for our community,” Arvin said. “… I just think we can’t take for granted the importance of that.”
Herald-Leader Staff Writers Beth Musgrave, Janet Patton and Brian Simms all contributed to this article.
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