LOUISVILLE, Ky. (WDRB) -- The Kentucky Center for African American Heritage will open its doors Friday evening for a first-of-its-kind event there.
But in the back of some peoples' minds sits the center's $2.5-million debt -- and one question: will it survive?
Artists brought their best designs to the Kentucky Center for African American Heritage Friday afternoon, setting up for a two-day Celebration of the Arts.
"We're going to use art from artists," said Pat Mathison, coordinator for the event. "We've got venders. We're going to use music, dance. We're going to use all of the elements."
Artist Charles Rice says the celebration is a reminder to African American youth of their heritage.
"This piece is symbolizing one of the oldest traditions in the African American community, which is storytelling to the youth," said Rice.
Many wonder what story will be told of this west end venue. The center is struggling financially because too much of it sits too empty too often, and bills are due.
The Kentucky Center opened in 2010. It was part museum, part historical preservation, part event space.
The board that operates it still owes $705,000 to a contractor for renovations and another $1.7 million to Fifth Third Bank for a loan.
With a $600,000 operating budget, board leaders say they can't pay.
The debt was all tied to the construction of this campus," said Rita Phillips, Int. Operations Manager for the center. "The city and the state were involved in that, and ultimately the city took charge in handling all the logistics."
The city of Louisville owns the building and leases it to the non-profit for $1 and pays them another $125,000 a year.
Mayor Greg Fischer says that's enough.
"No, it's not our obligation to do so, and the heritage center needs to figure out how to do that," he said.
Is this place in danger of closing?
"I will honestly tell you we are not where we were, we are not where we want to be, but we are making progress," Phillips said. "So if you take out the looming debt...find a way to deal with that...I certainly believe there is life in this center."
Leaders are looking to acquire a liquor license for the center and to host charitable bingo event. But ultimately for it to maintain life, there need to be more events like the art celebration.
The African American Celebration of the Arts runs from 5 p.m. to 9 p.m. on Friday and again from noon to 9:00 p.m. tomorrow.
It is free and open to the public.
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