As Kentucky Derby 149 approaches, change at the track is evident

LOUISVILLE, Ky. (WDRB) -- As the first Saturday in May approaches, it is evident that the experiences and events that surround the race itself have changed, are changing and will change some more.

The actual run for the roses will happen no different this 149th time than the other 148, but how it is viewed and who is there to watch is no longer the same.

In the 80s and 90s, the Kentucky Derby was welcomed with scenes of celebration and cheer on Central Avenue. Tens of thousands of people flooded the road in front of Churchill Downs with kegs of beer to drink and music to hear.

"People left and right, all the way down the street, were having parties in the front yard," Shawn Stevens recalled from Central Avenue, when he spoke with WDRB in 2018.

What used to be Louisville's premier Derby party has since been replaced with chain link fencing and hurried patrons crossing the street. The Central Avenue parties were shut down in 1999.

Today, progress is marked at 1 Central Avenue with multi-million dollar facility upgrades.

For Derby 149, a temporary paddock holds the place of the new design to be completed next year. A $90 million project is visible on the first turn where thousands of seats and new dining spots are available at the track.

Tickets for the first turn dining at Oaks and Derby will cost $2,600, if you're lucky.

The new upgrades set the stage for Churchill Downs' change for the race experience.

Now, only those with reserved seating tickets can be on the frontside area. They're entitled to all-inclusive food and beverage with a ticket.

No longer can those infield ticket holders come inside the track.

"We found that it's a much more pleasant experience for those folks that have purchased reserved seats," said Darren Rogers, a Churchill Downs spokesperson.

Tickets for Oaks and Derby went on sale on Ticketmaster with even the cheap seats going for several hundred dollars. Churchill Downs said the average net worth of a ticket holder is $1.2 million.

Ticket costs and experiential changes at the track have surpassed many locals.

IMAGES | Scenes from the Thurby crowd at Churchill Downs, 2022

The Derby used to be flooded with Louisvillians until the local crowd started going to Oaks, then Thurby, then Wednesday's races. Now, the track has branded Tuesday's races toward residents of the area.

"We want to figure out ways to figure out the Louisville community more and celebrate it. Hence, 502sday," Rogers said.

Churchill Downs will bring in hundreds of millions of dollars from Kentucky Derby 149. Change is a good thing. It must be embraced.

But as more than 100,000 people converge on our city this first Saturday in May, change must also be recognized.

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As Kentucky Derby 149 approaches, change at the track is evident