Louisville building shouldn't be torn down for Omni pickleball project, city report concludes

LOUISVILLE, Ky. (WDRB) -- Omni Hotels’ request to raze a 19th-century building for a pickleball complex should be refused, city planners concluded in a report published days before a board was set to consider a demolition permit.

In its Sept. 5 report, Metro government’s Office of Planning found that the Omni proposal had "some benefits" to downtown, such as increasing activity at a mostly vacant lot. But planners noted several concerns, including that outdoor pickleball courts are "typically more suburban in nature" and would likely be used only during good weather.

"It would be expected that the outdoor courts will be more inactive than active throughout the year, which is problematic for the dense, urban environment of the downtown," the report found.

The work would have involved razing the 1800s Odd Fellows building — a longstanding and controversial part of Metro government’s original deal with Omni from 2014. Construction would take five years, according to Omni’s application.

In the end, city staff "does not find there is a sufficient redevelopment proposal that meets the guidelines or prompt enough timelines to support the demolition of the buildings at this time."

The city’s Downtown Development Review Overlay Committee will have the final vote. It was scheduled to hear the hotel company’s demolition request at a meeting on Wednesday that was subsequently cancelled.

Omni pickleball rendering — Rendering of a proposed pickleball complex near the Omni hotel (source: Louisville Metro government/Omni)

Omni asked for the meeting to be postponed, according to Metro’s Cabinet for Economic Development.

Omni Louisville referred questions to a Dallas-basked spokesperson, who did not immediately respond to a request for comment on the project Thursday.

The hotel giant filed plans in late August for a demolition permit as part of a $1.2 million project to add indoor and outdoor courts along Muhammad Ali Boulevard between 2nd and 3rd streets. The development also called for an indoor food area and outdoor game yard.

Besides the Odd Fellows, or Liberty hall, building that dates to 1897, a former auto service station at the site also would be torn down.

The Louisville Historical League announced its opposition to the proposal last week, arguing that pickleball isn’t the right fit for the site.

This story may be updated.

Omni plans $12 million pickleball, entertainment facility in downtown Louisville