LOUISVILLE, Ky. (WDRB) – After cancellations due to COVID-19, KFC Yum! Center officials are optimistic that more events can return to the arena this winter and that concerts can resume by June.
Eric Granger, the Yum! Center’s general manager, told the Louisville Arena Authority during a board meeting Monday that for now his staff is focused on the Hot Wheels Monster Trucks Live show set for March 13.
That would be the first such paying event – other than University of Louisville basketball games – to take place since the coronavirus pandemic began last March. (The building at Second and Main streets was the site of early voting for last fall's general election.)
After the Hot Wheels show, the arena’s calendar includes The Dude Perfect and James Taylor in June.
“I’m very hopeful that the June events can take place as we see the rollout of the vaccine and when the touring industry starts up again,” Granger said.
He said he also hopes other shows can happen this fall, when Michael Buble and Dan + Shay would appear in Louisville after previous cancellations.
But Granger said the future of arena events likely depends on increasing attendance limits that now stand at 15 percent, a restriction approved by Kentucky Gov. Andy Beshear’s administration. Those limits have applied to fans at Louisville basketball games this season.
In announcing the new arena capacity last fall, Granger said Beshear’s office indicated it would be open to revisiting the rules once the building had reopened. Granger said in an interview after Monday’s meeting that he has reached out to the governor’s representatives but not heard back.
Granger said the Hot Wheels show is still planning to occur, although he said he believes the current attendance limitations are “a real challenge even for them.”
“But if we could get it to 30% or some other number, then maybe they could make that work,” he said.
Arena officials say there have been no cases linked back to the U of L games at the Yum! Center based on contact tracing data.
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